Rheumatoid Arthritis: Systemic Autoimmune Disease

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

Joint stiffness may develop after long periods of sleeping or sitting. Nodules ranging in size develop in nearly one-third of people who have rheumatoid arthritis. Nodules usually develop on the elbows, knuckles, spine, and lower leg bones. Weight loss and a low-grade fever can also occur. Rheumatoid arthritis results in the destruction of cartilage in the joints, targets the synovial lining of joints and can damage the lungs, heart and the blood vessels. It occurs when your immune system attacks the synovium which is the lining of the membranes that surround your joints. The inflammation that results thickens the synovium, and can also destroy the cartilage and bone within the joint. The tendons and ligaments that hold the joint together get weak and stretch. This process causes the joint to lose its shape and joint

The main cause doctors have found is that the immune system attacks the human body and starts to destroy the bones (Arthritisorg, 2015). Because the body is sensing an attack, heavy swelling occurs. The inflammation, even though it is healthy to help recover and maintain homeostasis, leads to painful swelling. With too much inflammation, the synovial- the lining membrane that covers the joints- hardens, cartilage and ligaments are destroyed, and the structure of the bones loosens (Arthritisorg, 2015). In the bloodstream, researchers have found that patients with rheumatoid arthritis have a higher percentage of HLA (controls the immune system); have more STAT4 (regulates the immune system); and have more PTPN22 (develops rheumatoid arthritis) (Arthritisorg, 2015). Still today, doctors are trying to find more answers for this non-stopping

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

When the point of two or more bones comes together, it is called a joint. We are able to make a movement because the present of joints which are designed to allow movement and to assimilate shock from the movement such as running or walking. Furthermore, cartilage is an elastic and though tissue that covered the ends of the bones. The capsule act as protection centre which joints is surrounded by it. A type of tissue called synovium produces synovial fluid lined the joint capsule (Magro, C., M., and Crowson, A., N., 2003). The fluid is clear in substances that help the cartilage and bones inside the joint capsule easily lubricated and nourished. The disease process leading to rheumatoid arthritis begins here. The protective sac consists of lubricating liquid known as synovial fluid. Other than to cushioning joints, cartilage is a slippery tissue located at the ends of the bones also get nutrients and oxygen which is supplied by the fluids. Cartilage also is the structural protein in the body, which is composed primarily of collagen. The functions of this cartilage is form a mesh to give protection and flexibility to the joints. In rheumatoid arthritis, continuous inflammation of the synovium is occurred caused by an abnormal immune system response that secrete destructive molecules (Paleolog, 2002). As a result, collagen dramatically destroyed thus make the joint space

In osteoarthritis, the cartilage at the end of bones wears down and produces rough, hard, edges of bone which cause trouble. This generally begins after 40, and 16 million in the U.S. have it. In rheumatoid arthritis, the cartilage at the end of bones is destroyed and is replaced with scar tissue. Then swelling occurs, and the joints may eventually fuse together. While osteoarthritis only affects individual joints, rheumatoid arthritis ultimately affects all synovial joints in a person's body.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system protects the body’s health by attacking unknown substances like bacteria and viruses, and mistakenly attacks the body’s joints. This creates inflammation causing the tissue that lines the inside of joints to thicken, which results in swelling and pain in and around the joints. The tissue makes a fluid that lubricates joints and helps them move smoothly. If inflammation goes unchecked, it can damage cartilage, the elastic tissue that covers the ends of bones in a joint, as well as the bones themselves. Over time, there is loss of cartilage, and the joint spacing between bones may become smaller. Joints can become

After this is done, they will perform lab work to make sure you may not have any other conditions. When performing the lab work, they will be testing for five things. If C-Reactive Proteins are detected, this indicates the sign of inflammation in the body. Your erythrocyte sedimentation rate will be checked, as with rheumatoid arthritis, this is generally raised. Your Rheumatoid Factor will be checked as well, because “about 75% of people with rheumatoid arthritis are RF positive” (RA 101). Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide will be tested, as “About 98% of people with RA have these antibodies in their systems” (RA 101). And lastly, an antinuclear antibody test would be done to make sure you do not have a

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.

Rheumatoid Arthritis known as RA is an autoimmune disease which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the joints. In a healthy individual the immune system protects by attacking foreign substances like bacteria and viruses. When this happens the body will create inflammation that causes the tissue that lines the inside of the joints known as the synovium to thicken, which creates swelling and pain around the joints. If the individual is to go a prolong period without treatment for RA it can damage the cartilage and over time the loss of cartilage the joint can then become loose, unstable, painful and most lose their mobility. Joint deformation can occur and the damage to the joint cannot be reversed.

A history and physical is the first thing exam that us done and based on those findings more tests are completed. A complete blood count is done to check for anemia which can be common in a RA patient and the white blood count. Positive RF occurs in approximately 80% of patients, and titers rise during active disease (Lewis et al., 2011). The RF is done to check how much in the blood and circulation throughout the body. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) are done to check for active local and systemic inflammation. Antinuclear antibody (ANA) titers are also seen in some RA patients (Lewis et al., 2011). ANA checks for the bad antibodies that are attacking the joints. Synovial fluid analysis is used to help diagnosis inflammation, pain and swelling. Increase in the fluid of the patient with RA and it may be a marker of progressive joint damage (Lewis et al., 2011). X-rays are done to check for swelling, bone demineralization, narrowing of the joint, subluxation and deformity (Lewis et al., 2011). Bone scans are done to detect joint changes. These tests are done at the beginning of the disease process and throughout to check on the progression of

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that affects the cartilage in one 's joints, it is not curable, it can not be stopped, only the pain itself can be lessened. In an average person’s body, the immune system has one job; to attack foreign substances that may enter the body. With the 1.5 million people in the United States that have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, their bodies are “tricked” or mislead into thinking that the cartilage within their joints is what is foreign. Once their immune system attacks the joints, it causes inflammation within, which then in turn leads to the synovium (lining of the joints) tissue to thicken. The synovium makes a fluid that acts as a lubricant to the joints and helps everything move freely. Once that fluid is gone, swelling and pain is experienced next. After awhile, the cartilage within the joints begins to disintegrate and will eventually cripple the individual. Along with knowing exactly what RA is, by the end of this paper you will know signs and symptoms within the oral cavity and systemically, and you’ll be familiar with how nutrition is related to the progression of this disease.

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are morning stiffness that last more than an hour. Another symptom is feeling fatigue or also sore joints. Patients tend to have a hard time getting up in the morning or falling asleep in the nights. Even doctors prescribes sleep pills so the patients can feel relaxed and will be easy to sleep. There is time that in the morning some patient can feel like if they can't move because all the body feels tense and

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.