Does Treatment of RA Symptoms Improve Mental Health Outcomes?

Effectively treating the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) alone is not sufficient to improve mental health outcomes in most patients, according to the results of a recent study.

“RA pharmacotherapy has potential to improve mental health outcomes indirectly by improving experiences of pain, stiffness and function; and also indirectly via targeting inflammatory processes common to the etiology of both RA and depression,” the researchers wrote.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

RELATED CONTENT
Study Details Benefits of Early Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis Drugs Linked to Serious Infection
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

To test this potential, researchers conducted a systematic search of trials including pharmacological treatment but excluding generic pain relief medication and alternative or complementary therapies. Overall, 58 studies were included in a pairwise meta-analysis and 48 were included in a network meta-analysis, all together involving 34,087 patients and 28 different drugs.

The outcome effect sizes of targeted RA treatment on mental health were small, typically half the size of the effect on physical health outcomes. Anti-interleukin-6 treatment was associated with the largest effect size on mental health.

“Providing effective pharmacotherapy alone is insufficient to produce meaningful improvement in mental health outcomes for the majority. Integrated mental health care provided as part of routine physical health practice is essential to optimize both mental and physical healthcare outcomes.”

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Matcham F, Galloway J, Hotopf M, et al. O05 - The impact of targeted rheumatoid arthritis pharmacological treatment on mental health: a systematic review and network meta-analysis [presented at Rheumatology 2017]. April 25, 2017. Birmingham, United Kingdom.