Abstract
［Objectives］Questionnaire surveys were conducted to investigate the current status of management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by orthopedic surgeons in Osaka Prefecture.
［Methods］Two surveys were carried out on members of the Osaka Clinical Orthopaedic Association (first survey in July 2003 and second in November 2008). Each survey used an anonymous questionnaire, which was sent and collected by mail. The responses to major questions common to both surveys were analyzed.
［Results］Both the number of subjects and respondents were slightly greater for the survey conducted in 2008 than for 2003. The response rate was over 30% in both surveys. Results reveal a trend for drug use in RA treatment, with an increased in prescriptions for Rheumatrex and Azulfidine during the five-year period between 2003 and 2008. In the 2008 survey, some orthopedic surgeons reported positive use of biological preparations.
［Conclusion］During the 5-year period, biological preparations were marketed one after another, and their positive use was reported by some orthopedic surgeons working as general practitioners. Results also revealed that the range of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) used for the management of RA has increasingly narrowed to the drugs listed as recommendation class A drugs (excluding Arava) in the EBM-based Guidelines for Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis prepared by the Japan Rheumatism Foundation and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Study Group in 2004.
