25 years of observation: rheumatic patients are much better cared for today

How well is the care for patients with rheumatic diseases in Germany? The German national database of the German Collaborative Arthritis Centers has been collecting data from more than 12,000 patients with rheumatic diseases in Germany every year for more than 25 years. Overall, the data of these 25 years show a clear improvement in the quality of care, especially for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and lupus erythematosus (publication 1).
In 2019, the care situation of adults with Sjögren’s syndrome was also examined using data from the national database. This analysis shows an increase in employment and a decrease in hospitalisation and disability days over the last 20 years (publication 2).