Beyond Rheumatoid Arthritis Evaluation: What are We Missing?

Gianna Espinoza,1 Genessis Maldonado,2 Jemina Narvaez,1 Roberto Guerrero,1 Gustavo Citera,3 Carlos Rios1 1Rheumatology Department - Universidad Espiritu Santo, Samborondon, Ecuador; 2Internal Medicine Department - Loyola MacNeal Hospital, Berwyn, United States of America; 3Rheumatology Department – Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Psicofísica, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaCorrespondence: Genessis Maldonado Tel +708-783-9100Email genessis.maldonado@luhs.orgAbstract: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune systemic disease that preferentially affects small and large joints with a progressive course and can become deforming and disabling. In recent years, much progress has been made in the evaluation of inflammation and disease activity, however, there are other factors that have a high impact on the quality of life of these patients, such as depression, anxiety, fatigue, sleep disorders, suicidal behavior, fibromyalgia, sexual activity, sarcopenia, frailty, cachexia and obesity that are not always evaluated by rheumatologists. This review shows that the evaluation and timely detection of these aspects in patients with RA could interfere with the prognosis and improve their quality of life.Keywords: rheumatoid arthritis, depression, fibromyalgia, sexual activity, sarcopenia, quality of life