Prognosis

About 10 percent of people diagnosed with RA experience long-term remission within one year. An additional 40 percent to 65 percent go into remission within two years. In these two groups of patients, rheumatoid factor levels often are low or absent, and symptoms are relatively mild, even when the disease is active. The prognosis is much worse if the disease remains active for more than two years. Such patients have a far greater chance of significant joint deformity.

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If the disease progresses for months or years, affected joints eventually become deformed and their range of motion is increasingly limited. Other possible side effects are carpal tunnel syndrome (pain, numbness, or tingling in the hand) and dryness of the eyes, mouth, and other mucous membranes. Less frequently, people may experience more serious systemic problems (problems affecting other sites in the body). These include an enlarged spleen and inflammation of the heart, the membrane covering the heart (pericarditis), the membranes surrounding the lungs (pleurisy), and the outer layers of the eyes (which can lead to blindness).

People with RA have a shorter life span than the general population, largely owing to an increased risk of heart disease. For this reason, people with RA need to take extra steps to prevent heart disease.