Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypes of Arthritis That Can Affect LifespanArthritis and Life ExpectancyArthritis ComplicationsHow to Reduce Your Risk of ComplicationsWhen to See a Healthcare Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types of Arthritis That Can Affect Lifespan
Arthritis and Life Expectancy
Arthritis Complications
How to Reduce Your Risk of Complications
When to See a Healthcare Provider
There are more than 100 types ofarthritis. Some are progressive and may shorten lifespan, especiallyrheumatoid arthritis(RA), which is anautoimmune disease(the immune system attacks healthy cells), andgout, which can lead to serious complications if left untreated.
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Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory and autoimmune disease that occurs when the immune system doesn’t work properly and attacks the lining of the joints (called thesynovium). The inflamed synovium becomes thicker and makes the joint area feel painful and tender, look red and swollen, and moving the joint may be difficult. RA commonly affects the hands, knees, or ankles, and usually the same joint on both sides of the body. However, RA can also cause problems in other parts of the body, including the eyes, heart and circulatory system, and lungs. For this reason, people with RA are more prone to have comorbidities, which raise the mortality rate even when the disease goes into remission.
Gout
Gout is the result of too much uric acid in the body (hyperuricemia) and forming crystals around the joints, leading to intense pain and swelling. The body makes uric acid when it breaks down purines, which are found in your body andsome foods, such as red meat and certain types of seafood. When there is too much uric acid in the body, uric acid crystals (monosodium urate) can build up in joints, fluids, and tissues within the body. Gout is also associated with a number of comorbidities, includingmetabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, andchronic kidney disease, which contribute to higher mortality rates among people with gout.
High Uric Acid Levels (Hyperuricemia)
Psoriatic Arthritis
Five primary risk factors can help determine life expectancy with arthritis.
Chronic Inflammation
11 Chronic Inflammation Symptoms
Autoimmune Disease
Autoimmune diseases are treated with immunosuppressive drugs, which can lower the body’s defenses against infections and make someone vulnerable to illness. RA patients, who are often treated withdisease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs(DMARDs), are widely known to have a higher risk of infection than the general population, and serious infection is one of the main causes of death in RA.The lower respiratory system is the most commonly involved site, and the other frequently involved sites are the skin, soft tissues, bloodstream, bones, joints, and urinary tract.
How Autoimmune Diseases Are Treated
Disease Duration
As new and better medications for progressive forms of arthritis like RA become available, people with these conditions are living longer lives, but that also means they have a longer disease duration. The risk of comorbidities therefore becomes a central issue in those living with RA, particularly because comorbidity can be a threat to the improvement in the long-term prognosis in patients with RA.
Untreated Disease
If left untreated, inflammatory forms ofarthritiscan be seriously damaging to a person’s health. Treatment with DMARDs and other biologics can significantly reduce mortality rate among people with RA. For example, a small study found that the mortality rate for people treated with biologic agents was 12.6%, DMARDs was 22.3%, and no treatment was 89.1%.Treatment is therefore essential for prolonging the life expectancy of people with RA.
What Are the Risks of Untreated Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Seropositive RA
Seropositive RAmeans that tests for anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) and/orrheumatoid factor(RF) found detectable levels of these antibodies in the blood. Seropositivity is associated with increased mortality among patients with RA compared with seronegativity. Mortality rates were greatest in patients with higher versus lower autoantibody titers in one study.
Other Risk Factors
Other risk factors that affect the longevity of people with arthritis include:
Heart Disease
Rheumatoid arthritis and gout are both associated with about a 50% to 70% increased risk of cardiovascular disease compared with the general population, even though they have different underlying causes.The chronic inflammatory process in RA and accumulation of uric acid crystals in the heart are said to be responsible for this increased risk. Both conditions are considered independent cardiovascular risk factors. Early treatment in RA has shown favorable effects on cardiovascular disease risk. However, evidence that urate-lowering therapy has consistent beneficial effects on cardiovascular outcomes is still scarce.
Comorbidities: Meaning and Common Examples
Cancer
Medications that affect the immune system have the potential to increase cancer risk as well. This appears to be the case with a few drugs that are infrequently used to treat RA, such as cyclophosphamide and azathioprine.However, one of the most widely used RA medications, methotrexate, has been linked to lymphoma. RA patients who take methotrexate are more likely to develop lymphoma if they also have theEpstein-Barr virus.
People with gout are at an increased risk of urological cancers, digestive system cancers, and lung cancer.
Organ Damage
RA, gout, and PsA can all affect multiple organs and cause systemic effects. Besides heart damage, RA also has the potential to cause liver damage.The presence of asymptomatic cardiovascular organ damage in RA patients is closely associated with hypertension independent of inflammatory activity.
Effects of Rheumatoid Arthritis Throughout the Entire Body
Anemia
Many people with RA have a type of anemia calledanemia of chronic disease(ACD).Mild cases of anemia can also be seen in people with PsA. With ACD, a person may have normal or sometimes increased amounts of iron stores in their body tissue, but a low level of iron in their blood. Chronic inflammation may prevent the body from using the stored iron to create new red blood cells, which leads to anemia. Inflammation can also affect the way the body produces a specific hormone called erythropoietin, which controls the production of red blood cells.
The Different Types of Anemia
Other Infections
There are many ways you can reduce the risk of complications from arthritis:
If you experience new symptoms or worsening of existing symptoms, contact your healthcare provider immediately.
A Word From Verywell
Arthritis alone does not cause death, but some of the complications that result from it are linked to early mortality. If you have symptoms of arthritis or feel that your symptoms are out of control, do not worry. You are not alone, and there are many resources to help you cope with your condition. The best thing you can do is ask for help. Ask your loved ones for support or consider joining a support group. Additionally, maintain close communication with your healthcare provider and ensure that you follow a recommended treatment plan to manage your arthritic symptoms so that you can live a long, healthy, and enjoyable life.
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