Rheumatoid Arthritis : A Systemic Autoimmune Disorder

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).

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(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 has been subject of numerous studies and researches in the look for a better understanding of how it effects the individuals diagnosed with it. There is a higher incident of females diagnosed with RA than male as well as a relationship with genetic and environmental factors involved. Around one percent of the world population is affected by RA; therefore, diverse studies have been performed to understand how the lives of the diagnosed patients can be impacted by the disease. For example, how RA affects the mobility, safety and activities of daily living in general as well as the development of interventions to better approach RA. On

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 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 (RA) is a chronic, progressive autoimmune disease that is systemic in nature but primarily targets and damages the synovial joints. It is characterized by painful, swollen, stiff joints, which manifest primarily in the hands, wrists, elbows, knees, ankles, and feet. RA is more common among women than men and increases in prevalence with age, however it can also occur in young adults and children (Lee & Weinblatt, 2001).

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the joints, most often in the hands and feet. It results in swelling, stiffness, pain, and sometimes joint, bone, and cartilage destruction. Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects joints on both sides of the body equally, meaning if a joint on one side is affected, the same joint on the opposite side is affected as well. Rheumatoid arthritis belongs to a group of diseases called autoimmune disorders that affects joints. In rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system produces antibodies that attack the soft tissues lining of the joints. Eventually the cartilage, bone, and ligaments of the joint deteriorate, causing deformity, instability, and scarring within the joint

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systematic inflammatory disease characterized by synovitis (constant inflammation of the synovial membranes) and autoantibodies. The disease that affects 0.5-1.0% of all adults in industrialized countries, mostly women and elderly people (Scott et al, 2010). In the United States, more than 1.5 million people suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, making it one of the most common auto-immune disease (Carmona et al. 2010). According to the Arthritis Foundation, individuals who suffer from arthritis have to deal with joint pain, morning stiffness, fatigue, loss of appetite, depressive symptoms, and low-grade fever which can last a few days to weeks. Individuals with this disease tend to have a low-quality of life and difficulties with day-to-day activities.

The stiffness is usually worse the first thing in the morning, or after one has been resting. RA sometimes presents other symptoms known as extra-articular (meaning outside of the joints) those include: small painless nodules over the skin commonly seen in the elbows and forearms, inflammation around the tendons (this happens because the tissue that covers the tendons are similar to the synovium around the joints), anemia and tiredness. Rarely inflammation develops in other parts of the body such as the lungs, heart, blood vessels or eyes. For example RA effects the eye in several ways, inflammation of the episclera and the eye can become red and painful, in some cases an individual can develop scleritis which is more serious and causes inflammation of the white of the eye that can cause vision

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a growing and life- changing disease in Australia, creating negative social and economic consequences for both the individual patient and society. A disorder in which the body attacks its own healthy cells and tissues resulting in limited movement and inflamed joints in the body. Rheumatoid Arthritis has been chosen as a National Health Priority Area as it is a prevalent disease and the conditions are a significant cause of disability. The topics being discussed in this essay will include the definition of the disease Rheumatoid Arthritis: reasons for inclusion as a priority health issue focusing on the incidence and prevalence in the Australian population, risk factors for developing Rheumatoid Arthritis and

Rheumatoid Arthritis, what is it? The word Rheumatoid comes from the Greek word referring to rheumatism, which means any painful disorder from the joints. Arthritis means inflammation of the joint. (William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979). Putting these two words together Rheumatoid Arthritis creates a disorder. The pathophysiology of RA is that it is a chronic, systemic, inflammatory autoimmune disease which means that this disorder is attacking your own body (Silvestri, 2013).

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.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an inflammatory disease that with time can destroy joints and decline movement and function (Kahlenberg et al. 1). The inflammation that causes this disease can produce pain and stiffness of the joints. If the problem is not solved, deformity can occur as damage of the joints progress. Sometimes other organs can be affected as well, for example, Rheumatoid Arthritis can lead to cardiovascular problems and changes of the bone metabolism because of the chronic inflammation. In addition, Rheumatoid Arthritis is one of the most common types of arthritis that affect many people in the world. However, as time passes, new medications are been develop and have shown great improvement in the outcomes of the disease ( Kahlenberg et al. 1). In this overview, the pathology, signs and symptoms, treatment, and prognosis would be discussed to give a better understanding of how can Rheumatoid Arthritis affect the human

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease and chronic inflammatory illness that causes the body’s immune system to attack its joints rather than the usual foreign substances such as viruses and bacteria (Arthritis Foundation, 2015; Mayo Foundation, 1998-2015). Unlike wear-and-tear osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis attacks the lining of the joints and often other body tissues such as the heart, skin, eyes and lungs (Arthritis Foundation, 2015; May Foundation, 1998-2015). Due to the body’s normal immune response, redness, inflammation, pain, and swelling, arise and can ultimately result in the destruction of bone and joint, causing for deformity (Mayo Foundation, 1998-2015). In the United States, about 1.5 million people have Rheumatoid Arthritis (Arthritis Foundation, 2015). Within this population, women are three times more likely to experience this than men. It has been noted to commonly occur between the ages of 30-60 for women and later in life for men (Arthritis Foundation, 2015). Men may be protected by hormonal factors and require a stronger genetic component to develop disease. Rheumatoid Arthritis is thought to stem from a combination of genetic susceptibility and exposure to an appropriate environmental trigger. (Ollier, W. E., Harrison, B., & Symmons, D. 2001). Within the aspect of genetics it is most likely hereditary. Although infectious triggers of RA have long been suspected, no definitive evidence has been obtained. Previous blood transfusion,