Press Release
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (RA) MYTHS
 20 million people live with RA1 everyday
 Irreversible joint damage occurs in 70% of all cases within 2
years of a RA2 diagnosis.
A panel of Roche experts determined the 10 most frequent Rheumatoid Arthritis
(RA) myths.
Myth #1: Rheumatoid Arthritis only affects senior citizens
Reality: Rheumatoid Arthritis may occur in any ethnic group at any age.
Myth #2: RA occurs mostly in people that are 60 or older.
Reality: RA mostly affects people between 30 – 50 years-olds. For this reason it
is important to perform a diagnostic exam if a person experiences major
symptoms (morning stiffness, inflammation and pain).
Myth #3: RA affects both men and women equally.
Reality: Women are at a higher risk of developing RA. Women have a higher
incidence of the disease.
Myth #4: Smoking does not affect joints.
Reality: Smoking is a risk factor for RA.
Myth #5: RA is not hereditary
Reality: A family history of rheumatoid arthritis is a risk factor.
1
O’Dell JR . N Engl J Med 2004
2
© 2002-2009 F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd
Myth #6: RA is reversible.
Reality: Joint damage is irreversible. Surgery can reestablish deformed joints.
But damage to adjacent tissue is irreparable and prevents a person from fully
recovering mobility.
Myth #7: Damage occurs only to hands
Reality: AR may occur on hands, elbow, knees, feet, shoulders and wrists. Once
swelling is chronic, joints become deformed and destroyed, leading to ,
weakness or atrophy of the adjacent muscles.
Myth #8: AR is a joint disease
Reality: RA is a systemic disease. It not only affects joints, but may also damage
other organs such as the liver, kidney, eyes, heart and adjacent peripheral blood
vessels.
Myth #9: RA advances slowly
Reality: Rheumatoid Arthritis may be transitory or chronic. It may experience
periods of inactivity or alternative relapses.
Myth #10: RA is an isolated symptom.
Reality: In addition to joint pain, symptoms include anemia, osteoporosis and
cardiovascular disease.
Currently, 20 million people live with rheumatoid arthritis daily all over the world.
Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks its own
tissue. Instead of fighting microorganisms or antigens that are potentially
dangerous, the immune system identifies parts of its own body as «foreign» and
attacks it.
As a result, inflammation, congestion and pain occur in joints (hand, foot, knee,
elbows, shoulders, wrists and ankles). In more advanced states, inflammation
becomes chronic and joints become deformed and are destroyed. Adjacent
muscles atrophy, weaken and show subcutaneous nodules in certain cases.
70% of patients experience irreversible joint damage within 2 years after being
diagnosed with RA. For this reason, early detection of the disease is key to
overcoming it.
ACTEMRA® (tocilizumab): Efficient Treatment
There is effective treatment for stopping the growth or advancement and
controlling the disease.
Recent studies (OPTION, TOWARD, RADIATE, STREAM), practiced on all types
of rheumatoid arthritis patients throughout the world, demonstrated that
ACTEMRA was effective in improving joint pain, controlling fatigue and
increasing disease remission rates. The results could be seen in patients as
rapidly as 2 weeks after use.
It was demonstrated that ACTEMRA had a rapid, potent and overall effect on
patients. The drug inhibits progression of joint damage with consistent remission
rates and significant improvement seen in patients the longer it was used.
ACTEMRA acts by inhibiting the IL-6 (Interleukin) receptor, a substance that is
responsible for most of the acute and chronic inflammation associated with
chronic arthritis. As a result, the evolution of the disease is controlled as well as
associated symptoms. Before Actemra, no drugs had performed that function
and achieved the results obtained up until now.
Specialists recommend making changes to adapt the patient´s lifestyle to his or
her actual RA condition in order to facilitate their daily, help them feel
independent and integrated with society.
About Roche
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is a leader in research-focused
healthcare with combined strengths in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Roche
is the world’s largest biotech company with truly differentiated medicines in
oncology, virology, inflammation, metabolism and central nervous system (CNS).
Roche is also the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics, tissue-based cancer
diagnostics and a pioneer in diabetes management. Roche’s personalized
healthcare strategy aims at providing medicines and diagnostic tools that enable
tangible improvements in the health, quality of life and survival of patients. In
2008, Roche had over 80,000 employees worldwide and invested almost 9 billion
Swiss francs in R&D. The Roche Group posted sales of 45.6 billion Swiss francs.
Genentech, United States, is a wholly owned member of the Group. Roche has a
majority stake in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan. For more information:
www.roche.com.
For more information please visit www.roche.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Press Contact: Erica Vega, Phone: +506 2298-1579 ó 8823-5997
erica.vega@roche.com
All trademarks used or mentioned in this release are protected by law.