OBJECTIVES: Carry out a retrospective analysis of the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients from a Brazilian state diagnosed with rheumatoids arthritis (RA), in outpatient follow-up and in use of biologic drugs provided by SUS through the Specialized Component in Pharmaceutical Services (SCPS).

METHODS: Were evaluated 309 process of patients with RA, attended regularly in the Minas Gerais State in 2019. Were collected all the information contained in the processes and required for the approval of the SCPS, such as: age, gender, disease duration, disease severity, functional status classification, rheumatoid factor, assessment of disease progression and activity and prescription drug.

RESULTS: Of the 306 patients, 87.5% were women, with a mean age of 56 years, with a mean disease duration of 34 months. The Symptom duration was 6 weeks or more in 99.3% of patients. Regarding the American College of Rheumatology - ACR / EULAR classification criteria, 60% of the patients had involvement in more than 10 joints and 34.3% had between 4 and 10 joints. Regarding the score of points of the ACREULAR criteria, 76.5% of the patients had 5 or more points. Regarding serology, 51.8% had positive RF or anti-CCP at high titers, 78.1% C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were altered. In 99.7% of patients, rheumatoid vasculitis was present, 97.2% had rheumatoid lung disease and 96.9% juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Regarding the classification of disease activity, the measure of the Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS-28) was used 300 of the analyzed processes. 62% of the patients presented moderate disease activity and 33% high disease activity according to DAS-28. In relation to the 3 most prescribed drugs, 42% requested tofacitinib, 24% cetolizumab and 10% abatacept.

CONCLUSIONS: This study provided a partial view of patients in a Brazilian State, identifying demographic and clinical characteristics, types of drugs and disease markers.