A chronic and progressive disease in which the immune system attacks the joints. It is characterised by pain, inflammation and swelling of the joints, stiffness, weakness, loss of mobility and deformity. Tissues throughout the body can be affected, including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and muscles
A generalized disease, occurring more often in women, which primarily affects connective tissue; arthritis is the dominant clinical manifestation, involving many joints, especially those of the hands and feet, accompanied by thickening of articular soft tissue, with extension of synovial tissue over articular cartilages, which become eroded; the course is variable but often is chronic and progressive, leading to deformities and disability
an inflammatory disease that involves the lining of the joint (synovium) The inflammation often affects the joints of the hands and the feet and tends to occur equally on both sides of the body
A usually chronic disease that is of unknown cause and is characterized by pain, stiffness, inflammation, swelling and sometimes destruction of joints
RA is a chronic disease of the joints and possibly other organs of the body, marked by stiffness and inflammation of the joints, loss of mobility and deformity RA is a result of connective tissue destruction when the immune system attacks the body's own tissues
a chronic autoimmune disease with inflammation of the joints and marked deformities; something (possibly a virus) triggers an attack on the synovium by the immune system, which releases cytokines that stimulate an inflammatory reaction that can lead to the destruction of all components of the joint
An abnormality in the immune system causing inflammation of the lining in the joints and/or internal organs Rheumatoid arthritis often affects the same joints on both sides of the body and can affect the hands, wrists, feet, knees, ankles, shoulders, neck, jaw, and elbows The disease may also cause inflammation of internal organs, leading to significant organ damage Individuals with rheumatoid arthritis are likely to experience times when they have few symptoms and other times when they have very severe symptoms causing significant limitations
a crippling form of arthritis characterized by painful and stiff joints on both sides of the body
A chronic, inflammatory disease of the body where a person's own immune system attacks cells inside the joint capsule; producing its most prominent manifestations in joints, often leading to joint pain, stiffness, and deformity
involves inflammation in the lining of the joints and/or other internal organs Rheumatoid arthritis typically affects many different joints It can be chronic, which means it lasts a long time, and can be a disease of flares (active) and remissions (little to no activity) Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease that affects the entire body and is one of the most common forms of arthritis It is characterized by the inflammation of the membrane lining the joint, which causes pain, stiffness, warmth, redness and swelling The inflamed joint lining, the synovium, can invade and damage bone and cartilage Inflammatory cells release enzymes that may digest bone and cartilage The involved joint can lose its shape and alignment, resulting in pain and loss of movement
an immune-related disorder that causes inflammation and erosion of the joint lining; an autoimmune disorder
A crippling form of arthritis believed to result from an autoimmune process, usually attacking the small joints of the hands, feet, wrists, knees, ankles, and neck
An inflammatory disease that affects the facet joints in the spine as well as other joints in the body including the hands, elbows, shoulders, fingers and toes
A serious autoimmune disease that primarily affects joints but may involve other organs as well
Chronic disease of the joints marked by inflammatory changes in the joint-lining membranes, which may give positive results on tests of rheumatoid factor & ANA