New Delhi: A new global study using artificial intelligence has found that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) cases have gone up significantly over the last 30 years, especially among younger people. The research, published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, gives the most detailed look yet at where and how RA is spreading.
The study was led by Queran Lin, MPH, of Imperial College London and Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital. Lin and his team used advanced deep-learning models to analyze RA data from 953 locations worldwide. They studied not only the number of cases but also the impact of RA on people's health and lives, including deaths and long-term disability.
Between 1990 and 2021, RA cases increased by 13.2%, affecting around 17.9 million people across the globe. While the number of deaths related to RA went down by 32.7% between 1980 and 2021, the total burden of the disease—measured in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs)—nearly doubled. The study also found that more young people are being diagnosed than before.
“With access to advanced tools, we aimed to fully use global health data,” said Lin. “By using deep learning models, we created the most detailed estimates of RA burden ever, which can guide better public health decisions.”
The research showed that West Berkshire in the UK had the highest rate of new RA cases, and Zacatecas in Mexico had the highest rate of total health burden from the disease. Over 90% of regions studied are falling behind health goals related to RA. High-income areas were hit hardest, and the gap is growing.
However, Japan was an exception. In Tokyo, the burden of RA dropped by 22.4%, showing how strong health policies and early diagnosis can help.
“Japan’s example proves that wealth isn’t everything—early action matters,” said Baozhen Huang, PhD, of City University of Hong Kong.
The study also looked at possible solutions. Reducing smoking could lower RA deaths by 16.8% and cut the total health impact by 20.6% among men in countries like China.
“This research gives better tools and evidence to help leaders make smarter health choices,” said Dr. Wenyi Jin, co-lead author of the study.
This study highlights how RA is becoming a growing global health problem, especially for young people, and shows how modern technology can help create better health plans for the future.