Abstract

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common autoimmune arthritis and it affects 1% of the adult population in India. It is an inflammatory disease which leads to bilateral joint pain and swelling. The swelling destroys joints and results in permanent deformities like ankylosis.

Aims and Objectives: The objectives of this study were to study and evaluate the prescribing pattern in patients suffering from RA and to evaluate the quality of life (QoL) in RA patients.

Materials and Methods: After getting permission from the Indian Council of Medical Research and Institutional Review Board, the study was started. Informed consent form of individual patient was obtained. All the patients of either sex attending rheumatology department and diagnosed with RA and receiving antirheumatoid drugs for 1 month were matriculate in the study and patients suffering along with osteoarthritis, and the newly diagnosed patient was excluded from the study.

Results: A total of 50 patients were enrolled for the study which shows middle-aged people suffered more with female dominance and mostly used drug being methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine. RAQoL average being 17 which showed impaired QoL. Prescribing pattern in RA relied more on disease-modifying antirheumatoid agents.

Conclusion: Commonly used drugs were disease-modifying antirheumatoid agents. It was found that the majority of the cost is borne by the patient as there are few drugs available at the hospital pharmacy which can be given free. Polypharmacy was common, being the cost burden to the patients.

Key words: Disease-modifying Antirheumatoid Drugs; Quality of Life; Rheumatoid Arthritis