Abstract
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Current knowledge of patients' preferences for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment is limited. Our goal was to determine the most favorable mode of therapy and the reasons behind choosing each route among RA patients in the Rheumatoid Arthritis Saudi Database (RASD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional, nationwide, qualitative study, we conducted interviews with 308 RA patients to assess their preferred mode of therapy (oral, subcutaneous (SC) injection, or intravenous (IV) infusion) and to determine the reasons behind their choice. The determining factors behind patients' preferred mode of therapy were evaluated using a 10-point allocation system (1 = least important, 10 = most important). RESULTS: We interviewed 308 RA patients (83.4% females, mean age, 48 years). Among all administration modes, the oral route was identified as the most preferred mode among our patients, with a percentage of 73.3%, followed by SC injection and IV infusion at 19.5% and 7.3%, respectively. Ease of drug administration was the most reported reason for patients who chose the oral route over the injection route (63.2%). Difficulty remembering to take the drug and finding it hard to swallow the pills were the highest-scored reasons for avoiding the oral route (24.9%). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates and emphasizes the importance of shared decision-making between patients and their physicians. The oral route of therapy is, by far, the most preferred mode among our cohort of RA patients.