Programme launched for early detection of rheumatoid arthritis

A first of its kind programme in the Middle East, ‘Enhance Programme’ has been launched in Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain and other Gulf countries, to improve the early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis in the patient population. The ‘Enhance’ programme has established centres of excellence in many hospitals, including Hamad Hospital in Qatar to promote the early diagnosis and management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA affects an estimated one percent of the population and it has a potentially devastating impact on sufferers, their families and society as a whole. Late diagnosis is a major obstacle in its successful management. RA is a chronic inflammatory disease characterised by symptoms that include swelling, pain and stiffness of the joints, in particular affecting the hands, feet, wrists, elbows, shoulders, ankles and knees. The disease onset most frequently occurs between the ages of 40 and 60 years, but people of any age can be affected. It can be a disabling and painful condition and if untreated, can cause permanent damage to joints, and can reduce life expectancy.Seeking medical advice from a rheumatologist and receiving treatment early has been shown to significantly reduce the level of irreversible joint damage as the majority of joint damage in RA occurs in the first years. The Hamad Medical Corporation’s consultant rheumatologist and division head Dr Mohamed Hammoudeh said: “RA can be a debilitating disease, negatively impacting patients’ quality of life and even their mental well-being, the earlier rheumatoid arthritis patients can receive treatment by a rheumatologist, in the proper setting of an early arthritis clinic, the better the patient health outcome.” Dr Hammoudeh added that the new early arthritis clinic is offering a unique and much-needed facility. “We urge patients suffering from the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis to seek medical attention, to help avoid unnecessary joint damage and improve their chances of successfully managing the disease, if diagnosed,” he added. The local hospitals participating in the ‘Enhance’ programme have undergone training and preparations to establish and manage an early rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis and management clinic in collaboration with Enhance programme director Dr Karim Raza and colleagues from the University of Birmingham in the UK. Hamad Hospital has recently initiated an early arthritis centre to track patients in their disease management and treatment, as well as to analyse results in the future, to continue to optimise the patient experience locally and across the region.