New Delhi: An increase in the elderly population as well as a rise in smoking are behind the surge in the global rheumatoid arthritis burden since 1980, according to an AI-powered study. 

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that primarily affects joints, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness.

The novel analysis published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases details significant socioeconomic disparities and worsening inequalities in disease burden.

The findings revealed that demographic ageing, population growth, and uneven healthcare infrastructure exacerbate rheumatoid arthritis burdens differently across regions.

Using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD), the study integrated the largest spatiotemporal rheumatoid arthritis dataset spanning 953 global to local locations from 1980 to 2021 with a novel deep learning framework.

It showed that from 1980 to 2021, the global rheumatoid arthritis burden kept rising. The increase was significant among younger age groups and a wider range of geographic locations worldwide.

Notably, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs)-related inequality surged 62.55 per cent from 1990, with Finland, Ireland, and New Zealand as the most unequal countries in 2021.

Economic factors were not found as the sole determinants of rheumatoid arthritis disease burden.

High sociodemographic index (SDI) regions such as Japan and the UK exhibited contrasting patterns in disease burden.

Japan’s declining DALY rates despite high SDI may reflect nationwide early diagnosis programmes, widespread use of biologic therapies, and a diet rich in anti-inflammatory components.

“By 2040, low-middle SDI regions may see increasing DALYs due to ageing/population growth, while DALYs in high SDI areas may decrease,” said the researchers led by Queran Lin, principal investigator from Imperial College London.

“Controlling smoking may reduce rheumatoid arthritis deaths by 16.8 per cent and DALYs by 20.6 per cent in high-smoking regions (for example, China), offering significant benefits for medium/high SDI areas,” said the team.

The researchers said that many regions around the world still lack the necessary evidence base to inform precision health policy and targeted interventions. (IANS)