Overview of Rheumatoid Arthritis

The question has to  be asked: how common is rheumatoid arthritis in United States? It is estimated that approximately 0.5% of the American population has rheumatoid arthritis. However, this estimation is based on figures from the 1990s. There have been no recent studies in United States.

The lack of current statistics does not mean than rheumatoid arthritis is becoming a thing of the past. This disease has no cure and patients have to endure a lifetime of adjusting to its effects.

The progress of disease
Rheumatoid arthritis causes pain and swelling in the joints. Typically, it affects the small joints of the hands, wrists and feet, but can affect any joint in the body. With the joint pin and swelling. Rheumatoid arthritis have difficulty using their joints.

When the hands or upper limbs are affected, patients face difficulties gripping and other fine had movements essential in daily tasks, eg, dressing, bathing,  cooking and doing housework. In the feet and lower limbs, rheumatoid arthritis causes problems in walking, climbing stairs and getting up from a chair or the toilet.

This is apart from the pain that can be felt much of the time. Untreated, the symptoms will gradually worsen and lead to damage of the cartilage and bones of the joint, resulting in deterioration of joint function.

Women at higher risk
Rheumatoid arthritis is 2-3 times more common in women than in men. This is thought to be due to the stimulatory effects of the female hormone oestrogen on the immune system.

As rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, the body’s immune system is stimulated to produce abnormal antibodies that ‘attack’ the body. The process involves T-cell, whose functions are affected by oestrogen.

Men with rheumatoid arthritis frequently have slightly lower testosterone levels than normal.

The importance of the oestrogen link has been shown in epidemiological studies, which found that the risk of RA is increased in women who have never been pregnant. In contrast, rheumatoid arthritis can often go into remission when a women is pregnant.

Could it be the gene?
Rheumatoid arthritis is not an inherited disease, but certain genes affect a person’s risk. Individuals with precise variants on the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes are additional most likely to build rheumatoid arthritis than men and women with other gene variants.

However, there are just as many people with these genes who never develop the disease, so there must be additional precipitating factors that are not well understood.

Smokers and infections
Cigarette smoking may also play a role. This habit can increase the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, which then may be more severe when it happens.

Infection from bacteria or viruses is one factor that has long been suspected to initiate rheumatoid arthritis. Nevertheless, at this time, there is absolutely no definite evidence of this

Systemic autoimmune disease
Rheumatoid arthritis is not only about the joints; other health complications may also arise in affected individuals. As rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, patients can have other organ involvement.

The inflammation in the joints can affect the lungs, skin and nerves, among others. This gives rise to its own set of problems. There is also an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Consulting rheumatologist regularly
There may also be complications from rheumatoid arthritis treatment. As the treatments work by suppressing the immune system, these patients are at an increased risk of infections.

Other drugs will have other specific complications which have to be discussed between the patient and doctor before starting the drug. Patients should be monitored regularly by their rheumatologists.