Rheumatic diseases

Rheumatic diseases occur in people of any age, starting with childhood. Studies show that one of the key problems is the underestimation of the prevalence of the disease among residents of Russia, including due to the remoteness of the residence of patients from specialized centers, as well as due to insufficient awareness of the disease among Russians. According to BIOCAD, in 2019, less than 10% of patients with joint complaints receive genetically engineered biologics (GEBD) as medical care.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Main article: Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a risk factor for the development of severe chronic conditions, the result of which can be myocardial infarction, stroke, large vessel thrombosis, etc. Rheumatic diseases include over 80 diseases and syndromes, but the highest medical and social burden is associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

Juvenile (juvenile) arthritis

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common chronic rheumatological disease in children and adolescents. One of the most common subtypes of JIA is polyarticular JIA, characterized by progressive joint damage and reduced quality of life in the absence of adequate treatment.

The first-line drug in the treatment of such patients is methotrexate, if the effectiveness of which is insufficient, the prescription of genetically engineered biological drugs (GEBD) is necessary. About a third of patients who initiated GEBD subsequently need to switch to another drug (as of February 2025).

2025: Efficacy of olokizumab for the treatment of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis investigated

The results of a pediatric study of a drug for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis have been published. This was announced by R-Pharm on February 12, 2025. Read more here.

2023: Up to 22,000 cases of rheumatic diseases in children are reported annually in Russia for the first time

According to data available in May 2023 in Russia, for the first time, up to 22 thousand cases of rheumatic diseases in children are registered annually. These pathologies lead to disability, lag in physical and sexual development. The most disabling among rheumatic diseases is juvenile arthritis (SA). Severe, often lifelong disability in 50% of children with SA occurs within the first 10 years of illness. A third of children develop arthritis between the ages of 9 months and 1.5 years. Over the past 15 years, a breakthrough in pediatric rheumatology has been made: thanks to the efforts of the state, many children with rheumatic diseases are provided with modern innovative drugs.