title: A structured literature review of the burden of illness and unmet needs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a current perspective.
abstract: While rheumatologists often focus on treatment targets, for many patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), control over pain and fatigue, as well as sustaining physical function and quality of life (QoL), is of primary importance. This literature review aimed at examining patients' and physicians' treatment aspirations, and identifying the unmet needs for patients with RA receiving ongoing treatment. Searches were performed using MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and Econlit literature databases for articles published from 2004 to 2014 in the English language. Published literature was screened to identify articles reporting the unmet needs in RA. We found that, despite the wide range of available treatments, RA continues to pose a substantial humanistic and economic burden on patients, and there are still unmet needs across key domains such as pain, physical function, mental function, and fatigue. These findings suggest that there is a need for further treatment advances in RA that address these domains of contemporary unmet need.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Endpoint Development and Outcomes Assessment, Adelphi Values, Cheshire, UK.|ICE Creates Ltd, Birkenhead, UK.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Pfizer Regional Medical Europe, Brussels, Belgium. Radu.Vasilescu@pfizer.com.
authors.forename: Radu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vasilescu
authors.affiliation: Global Innovative Pharma Business, Pfizer Inc, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alvir
authors.affiliation: Global Health & Value-GIP, Pfizer, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tarallo
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005221:Fatigue / Q000150:complications*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications*; D011788:Quality of Life
keywords: Cost; Fatigue; Mental functioning; Pain; Physical functioning; Rheumatoid arthritis