A prospective observational study published in Modern Rheumatology evaluated the effectiveness of baricitinib on activities of daily living and health-related quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Japan. The study involved patients aged 20 years or older who initiated baricitinib and were followed for 12 months. Patient-reported outcomes were assessed using a visual analogue scale, the Locomo 5, the EQ-5D-5L, and the Short Form-36 subscales.

Among 353 patients, the mean age was 63.4 years. Baricitinib substantially reduced pain from a mean (standard deviation) of 48.4 (26.5) mm at baseline to 25.2 (21.4) mm at 12 months, fatigue from 42.3 (28.3) mm to 24.3 (22.7) mm, and morning stiffness from 51.8 (126.9) minutes to 15.8 (38.7) minutes. Clinically meaningful improvements were observed in activities of daily living, with Locomo 5 scores decreasing from 6.9 (5.7) to…