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ABSTRACT The incidence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is decreasing, and rheumatologists perceive that their patients are presenting with less-disabling disease. This impression coincides with

the availability of improved therapeutic options, including biologic agents. In RA, the term 'disease severity' can be defined from various perspectives: that of the patient, or

by measures of disease activity and damage. This Perspectives article examines the scientific basis for a perceived decrease in RA severity over time, as determined by patient-reported

outcomes and measures of disease severity and structural damage. An improved health care system and better treatment strategies with access to new therapeutic modalities are likely to have

contributed to a milder RA disease course in more-recent years. The focus needs to be kept on these issues to further improve disease severity in patients with RA. Access through your

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INCREASED REMISSION WITH FEWER CORTICOSTEROIDS AND MORE BIOLOGICS IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AT 7-YEAR FOLLOW-UP IN REAL-LIFE CONDITIONS Article Open access 15 February 2022 REFERENCES *

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INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Department of Rheumatology, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway Till Uhlig & Tore K. Kvien Authors * Till Uhlig View author publications You can

also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Tore K. Kvien View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Correspondence

to Till Uhlig. ETHICS DECLARATIONS COMPETING INTERESTS The authors declare no competing financial interests. RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS

ARTICLE Uhlig, T., Kvien, T. Is rheumatoid arthritis really getting less severe?. _Nat Rev Rheumatol_ 5, 461–464 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrrheum.2009.140 Download citation * Issue

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