What is the outlook for a patient with rheumatoid arthritis?

According to a review paper published in 2018, the outlook for patients with RA has reached a point that nobody would have even dreamed of 20 years ago. Although RA can progress to be an incredibly disabling disease, an increased understanding of the disease biology and more effective treatments have turned it into a very manageable disease, with many patients reaching a state of remission.^[1] With that said, it is important for people with RA to see a physician and begin treatment as soon as possible because early diagnosis and treatment are key to controlling disease progression.^[2]