Rheumatic diseases in numbers
The figures below are not meant to frighten, but to show how common these conditions are and why they deserve to be taken seriously early on. Every value has a source you can check.
How many people live with the main rheumatic diseases (global, 2020)
Global prevalence estimates for 2020. The values come from different analyses and carry uncertainty intervals; low back pain and osteoarthritis are by far the most common. · million people
Projected increase in the number of cases between 2020 and 2050
The increase is driven mainly by population ageing and growth, not by a rise in individual risk. Percentages are calculated from the studies' central estimates. · % increase
Sources: GBD 2021 projections, Lancet Rheumatology (2023–2024)
Musculoskeletal diseases in the Republic of Moldova: registered patients
Class: diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue. In 2024, 152.4 thousand patients were registered, of whom 42.9 thousand were newly diagnosed (17.9 per 1,000 inhabitants). · per 1,000 inhabitants
Sources: National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova, Statistical Yearbook 2025, table 8.15
The situation in the Republic of Moldova
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the number of people registered with diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue has risen steadily in recent years: from 139.1 thousand in 2022 to 146.4 thousand in 2023 and 152.4 thousand in 2024, or 63.4 patients per 1,000 inhabitants. Around 43–45 thousand new diagnoses in this class are made each year.
For individual rheumatic diseases, Moldova does not yet publish national prevalence data comparable to European figures. Local studies do offer reference points: a 2016 study estimated osteoporosis in 25.9% of women over 50, and the School of Rheumatology at the Nicolae Testemițanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy reported more than 2,500 hospitalised patients a year and over 15,000 consultations in the specialised department of the Republican Clinical Hospital.
The real figures are probably higher than those registered, because many people with joint pain never reach a specialist. Population ageing, smoking and excess weight, all common in Moldova, suggest the burden of these diseases will keep growing, which makes prevention and early diagnosis all the more important.
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Should I see a rheumatologist?The data presented come from public sources and published scientific studies; they describe populations, not individuals. A diagnosis is made only after a medical consultation. Laromed Clinic updates this page periodically as new data become available.
