Age and arthritis

Abstract

The prevalence of arthritis is increasing in the Western world, and Worthing on the Sussex coast may be considered a microcosm of arthritis in the elderly. The predicted increase in world population and the parallel increase in rheumatic problems in the elderly may well reflect that seen in Worthing. This paper is a review of 814 new patients attending a rheumatology clinic, 8% having rheumatoid arthritis. Two separate trials of gold and penicillamine on patients developing rheumatoid arthritis after the age of 60 have shown satisfactory responses and lack of side effects, particularly when a low-dose gold regime is employed. When disease-modifying drugs are indicated, age should be no bar to their use in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in the elderly.