SynthesisArthritis care & research2026
Economic Burden of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Synthesis in Arthritis care & research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Rheumatoid arthritis burden in 129 low- and middle-income countries from 1990 to 2023.iScience · 2026Article
- Threshold Effect of C-Reactive Protein-Albumin-Lymphocyte (CALLY) Index on Disease Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Unveiling a Nonlinear Association.Mediators of inflammation · 2026Article
- The financial repercussions of rheumatoid arthritis and determinants of catastrophic healthcare expenditure: insights from the Karnataka chapter of the Indian rheumatology association.Health economics review · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveThe aim of this systematic review was to synthesize the economic impact of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on households, health systems, and society in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
methodsElectronic databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, and CINAHL were searched using keywords related to RA and cost of illness. Eligible studies were required to report RA-related costs, be conducted in LMICs, and be published in English. Quality appraisal of the included studies was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for cohort studies. A narrative synthesis and meta-analysis of findings was conducted.
resultsA total of 5,134 studies was initially identified for screening. After removing 1,028 duplicates, 50 studies were selected for full-text review, and 15 met the eligibility criteria and were therefore included in the review. These studies, published between 2007 and 2024, were conducted in various countries, including Turkey (n = 3), China (n = 2), and one study each from Thailand, Hungary, Mexico, Colombia, Morocco, Pakistan, India, Romania, Brazil, and Argentina. Nine studies adopted a societal perspective, whereas six used a health care perspective. The total sample size was 218,575 participants, with individual study sizes ranged from 62 to 209,292. Average annual direct costs per patient ranged from US$523 to US$2,837.90, and indirect costs ranged from US$81.80 to US$2,463.40. The pooled average annual costs for outpatients, inpatients, and medical costs were US$517.72 (95% confidence interval [CI] $3.35-$1,032.09), US$543.88 (95% CI US$499.51-US$588.24), and US$3,379.83 (95% CI US$3,137.58-US$3,622.08), respectively.
conclusionRA poses a significant economic challenge in LMICs, where limited health care resources and high treatment costs make care unaffordable for many. This review uniquely underscores that enhancing treatment access and optimizing resource use can reduce both medical and productivity losses, improving patient outcomes and strengthening economic resilience.
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