Is Rheumatoid Arthritis Hereditary, and can the onset of this disease be prevented or delayed in any way?
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the mobile joints. It appears to be an autoimmune disorder, meaning that the body’s own immune system produces antibodies, which attack its tissues. This results in inflammation and pain in varying degrees. It should not be confused with Osteoarthritis, which is caused by the ‘wear and tear’ of joints (Lahita, 2001).
Signs and symptoms
RA can be very difficult to diagnose since it can often mimic symptoms of other diseases and illnesses or flare and fade intermittently. However, the symptoms may present as hard to heal injuries, numbness in the hands (which is often
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Causes
The causes of RA have been disputed in the past, but as ground-breaking research continues steadily, more clarity about the cause of the disease is slowly being achieved. However, the complete and exact cause is still unknown, while the hereditary nature thereof is still greatly disputed. Where many researchers believe that RA is hereditary and passed on from generation to generation, others believe that genes play no role in the development of RA and that environmental factors are the cause thereof. Still others believe that although certain genes play a role in the development of RA, these genes occur randomly and are not inherited.
Much research has been done to determine the causes of and prove the possible genetic and hereditary nature of RA. However, research results supporting the hereditary nature of the disease, are opposed or contradicted by an almost equal number of research articles claiming that RA is not inherited. Comparing the research results in all these articles provides more clarity as to the cause and nature of this autoimmune disease.
Research done by Dr Sophia Steer, supports the hereditary nature of RA. Twin studies done by her, show that genes contribute to the risk of RA. Dr Steer’s research did not only include studies on monozygotic (twins that share 100% of their genes i.e. identical
Rheumatoid Arthritis(RA) is the most common type of autoimmune arthritis. RA is a progressive and debilitating musculoskeletal disorder that affects the joints symmetrically, causing a range of systemic effects. What it causes is still not well known; nevertheless, findings of new research points towards a believe that it is triggered by a defective immune system, which causes the release of inflammatory chemicals. These chemicals cause damage to cartilage and bone, usually affecting the wrists, the joints of the hand, including the knuckles, the middle joints of the fingers and feet. While this condition can affect any joints, besides, important body organs such as the eyes and the lungs can also be affected by the inflammation that occurs as a result of this chronic condition. Only in America 1.3 million of people are affected by this ailment, and 75 % of them are mainly women. Its onset usually occurs between fourth and sixth decades; however, RA can occur at any age("Diseases And
Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease that affects whole systems of body particularly cardiovascular system, nerves, respiratory system (RACGP, 2009). The causes of rheumatoid arthritis are unknown but it is hereditary which assists to have a risk of rheumatoid arthritis by 50%-60% (RACGP, 2009).
The chances of having JRA until adulthood can be indicated by the presence of the rheumatoid factor. Less than half of the children with JRA have rheumatoid factor while 70% to 80% of people with Adult RA possess the rheumatoid factor.
Rheumatoid Arthritis or “RA” is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system mistakenly attacks its own body tissues. This disease affects the lining of joints causing pain and swelling. Eventually the swelling can lead to bone erosion and joint deformity. RA can happen to anyone at any age, but the majority of people who have to endure this disease are women over the age of 40.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints. While inflammation of the tissue around the joints and inflammatory arthritis are characteristic features of rheumatoid arthritis, the disease can also cause inflammation and injury in other organs in the
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic syndrome that is characterized by inflammation of the peripheral joints, but it may also involve the lungs, heart, blood vessels, and eyes. The prevalence of this autoimmune disease is between 0.3% to 1.5% of the population in the United States (Feinberg, pp 815). It affects women two to three times more often than men, and the onset of RA is usually between 25 and 50 years of age, but it can occur at any age (Reed, pp 584). RA can be diagnosed by establishing the presence of persistent joint pain, swelling in a symmetric distribution, and prolonged morning stiffness. RA usually affects multiple joints, such as the hands, wrists, knees, elbows, feet, shoulders, hips, and small
Many health problems affect the elderly population. It seems like every day there is a new health problem that many elderly people have to deal with. One of the problems that affect the elderly is Rheumatoid Arthritis, which is commonly known as RA. When elderly people have been diagnosed with RA it is usually caused by their immune system, which has become weak over time. Having RA causes a lot of pain for elderly people usually in their feet and hands. Some treatments can help with RA, if the doctors can catch it in time before it gets too bad. Many people don’t really know what RA is or what causes it. So what is RA? What causes it? What are some of the symptoms? How is RA treated? How does RA affect the elderly?
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease. The disease happens when the immune system mistakenly attacks a healthy tissue as if it was a foreign invader, such as a virus or bacteria. If left untreated it can lead to permanent joint damage, decrease in quality of life, and total disability. It affects over a million people in the U.S. alone. Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms include persistent joint inflammation which causes joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. Fatigue and stiffness are usually early symptoms. Joint pain can be an early symptom in a variety of diseases. Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis often develop slowly over a period of weeks or longer, but this is not always the case, it can have an acute
Although, RA was a very common disease in ancient history. Arthritis and diseases of the joints have been plaguing mankind since ancient times. According to Choy (2013), “In around 1500 BC Ebers Papyrus described a condition that is similar to rheumatoid arthritis” (p.3). This is one of the first references to this disease. Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease was well-known in Egypt because of the evidence found while researching Egyptian mummies. Researchers found that RA was a common disease in ancient times due to lack of nutrition and lack of healthcare (Choy, 2013, p.4). In ancient times, treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis included bloodletting and leeching, which would likely lead to a variety of other health concerns. Next, Choy (2013) states, “The Far East developed practices of acupuncture, acupressure, and moxibustion” (Choy, 2013, p.3). Moxibustion means the use of heat. In the past, RA was also treated with plant extracts of Willow bark and leaves. These leaves contained silicon, and this relieved other arthritis pains for patients. Today, treatment changed to pharmaceutical medications named
Rheumatoid Arthritis is an inflammatory and autoimmune disease that occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks healthy joints, causing horrific symptoms such as immense pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of physical function (What is rheumatoid arthritis (RA)?). Joint pain which affects over seventy million Americans each year, can be discomfort, pain, or inflammation arising from any part of a joint, including cartilage, bone, ligaments, tendons, or muscles (Rheumatoid Arthritis.). It is very common in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis, which is inflammation or pain from within the joint itself. It can be mild, causing soreness only after certain activities, or it can be severe making even limited movement, particularly bearing
Rheumatoid Arthritis or (RA) is an autoimmune disease that attacks the joints and connective tissue. The result is inflammation that produces permanent damage in the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic syndrome that tends to be progressive and destructive as compared to Osteoarthritis or (OA), which is more of an age related disease caused by “wear and tear” of the joints. In contrast to (OA), rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by inflammation mostly of the joints, but is a general body disease.
Many people all over the world may have rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid Arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that affects the small joints in the hands and feet (Mayoclinicorg, 2015). It is also an autoimmune disease, where the immune system sees the body as a foreign object and attacks it (Mayoclinicorg, 2015). As the chronic disorder matures, it could seep into the blood vessels and into other organs: heart, lungs, skin, and eyes (Mayoclinicorg, 2015). This chronic pain is found mostly in women around forty to sixty years old; however, men with low testosterone could also have the chronic disorder (Mayoclinicorg, 2015). Because smokers burn off certain cells to prevent infection, they are also at risk for rheumatoid arthritis. This
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that accounts for roughly 0.6% of the population in the United States. The disease typically affects the elderly, but also affects older teenagers, young adults and affects women three times more than men. Rheumatoid arthritis is when a person’s immune system to attack the synovial membranes of the joints and causes inflammation. The genetic link of rheumatoid arthritis is not completely clear. However, it has been shown that having a family member with rheumatoid arthritis will increase the risk of developing the disease. There are currently two genes being looked at that has shown to be involved in the development of rheumatoid arthritis, HLA-DRB1 and PTPN22. These were discovered by looking at
Diagnostics to help determine this disorder would first be getting an x-ray done, a (ESR) erythrocyte sedimentation rate can be done to determine if there is any inflammation and in this case there would be an increase in the (ESR), also a (RF) rheumatoid factor is performed, this is a blood test to determine how much RF antibody is in the blood which is very helpful to determine if you have RA or an autoimmune disease, if there is an increase then there is most likely a chance of knowing that you have rheumatoid arthritis (MedlinePlus, 2013).
The RA disease development is linked with many pro-inflammatory factors 1-2. Cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-α played important roles in inflammatory development on diseases site2, therefore, clinically, suppressing the activity of these factors on synovial cells is the main strategy for most RA treatment methods. The suppression can be achieved externally by drug management. The recent development of gene therapy studies on RA, in addition, has opened up a new therapeutic approach via genetic modification. The principle of RA gene therapy is to use a vector to insert a receptor antagonise gene or an antisense gene of pro-inflammatory factors in synovial fibroblast cells, which is then