"Richard had seen a number of physicians and had been on many medications to treat his disease," Birbara says. "However, the aggressive nature of his arthritis was not very responsive to standard medications." According to Birbara, X-rays of Shirley also showed evidence of joint destruction.
"Doctor Birbara has a zero tolerance for hot and inflamed joints," Shirley says, "because that's when the damage is done." Shirley also believes, from his own experience, that each person needs to work with his or her physician to find the appropriate medicine. For him, a new biologic product made the difference.
Finding the right treatments for those at greatest risk for the potential complications of arthritis and other rheumatic conditions, Birbara says, hopefully will lessen the burden of this disease, not only in the United States, but for the entire world.
The Burden of Arthritis
Although the clinical term literally means joint inflammation, "arthritis" actually refers to a group of more than 100 rheumatic conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), self-reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis collectively affects nearly 43 million Americans--or about 1 in 5 adults. Another 23 million have chronic musculoskeletal symptoms that suggest they, too, may have arthritis. This makes arthritis one of the most common illnesses in the United States and a leading cause of disability. As the population ages, the CDC says that the number of Americans affected will increase dramatically.
"People ignore arthritis both as public and personal health problems because it doesn't kill you," says Capt. Charles G. Helmick, M.D., a medical epidemiologist at the CDC. "But what they don't realize is that, as people work and live longer, arthritis can affect their quality of life and lead to limitations in activities and work and eventually disability."
Arthritis limits everyday activities for 8 million Americans, according to statistics compiled by the CDC. Each year, arthritis results in 750,000 hospitalizations and 36 million outpatient visits. In 1997, medical care for arthritis cost over $51 billion. The disease affects people of all ages. Nearly two-thirds of those with arthritis are younger than 65. Arthritis may affect people of all racial and ethnic groups. It is more common among women and older Americans.
