Objective. To evaluate the functional status of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Russia, to compare the distribution and associations between functional insufficiency (FI) and functional class (FC), as well as disability groups (DG), and to consider their impact of a number of the patients' demographic, social, and clinic characteristics. Methods. Rheumatologists from 27 cities and towns of Russia (a total of 30 centers) participated in the cross-sectional epidemiological study. The study included all patients with valid rheumatoid arthritis, who had consecutively turned to a polyclinic rheumatologist or who had been treated at hospital for 3 months. The demographic and social characteristics of a patient, his/her occupation, the onset and duration of RA, DG and a reason for its receiving, and the patient's clinicofunctional status at the study were recorded. Results. A total of 1504 patients, including 1271 women, were examined; their mean age was 53 years; the mean duration of the disease was 10.5 years; 80.4% were seropositive for rheumatoid factor; 94.3% patients had erosive arthritis (X-ray stages II-IV RA). High disease activity scores (DAS) were found; the mean DAS [Mean (SD)] was 5.44±1.18. Severe extraarticular manifestations were identified in 10% of cases. 63% of the RA patients were in FC III and IV; 67% had grades 2 and 3 FI, and 44.5% had DGs I and II. An association was found between FC and FI (r = 0.43; p

Objective. To study quality of life (QL) of pts with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) followed up in the Institute of Rheumatology of RAMS Materials and methods. The study was performed as a part of MEQLRA (Multicenter Examination of Quality of Life in RA) program in 5 centers of Russian Federation Central region according to shared protocol. Results of the 1st stage of the study from one of the centers (Moscow) are presented. 86 pts with RA (81 female and 5 male) examined in outpatient department or in hospital of the Institute of Rheumatology from November 2003 till April 2005 were included. Results. Significant influence of activity and duration of the disease on different QL components of pts with RA was revealed. Pts with remission of RA have significantly higher index of social functioning. Significant change of psychological state of pts with RA was shown.