OP0183 Failure to Achieve Early Remission Augments Risk of Mortality in Rheumatoid Arthritis

BackgroundRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with a risk of premature mortality. Chronic inflammation is one of the factors explaining this risk, but limited data exist on the importance of disease activity early in the disease.ObjectivesTo investigate the relationship between disease activity over the first two and five years of RA and risk of mortality.MethodsBetween 1993 and 1999, 839 patients were included in the BARFOT early RA inception cohort. 805 of these, mean age 56.6 (15.3) years, 64% women, 59% RF-positive, had attended the pre-defined follow-up visits for at least 2 years and formed the patient material. Disease activity was assessed with DAS28 at baseline, 1, 2 and 5 years and remission was defined as DAS28