Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease primarily affecting the joints, leading to inflammation, cartilage destruction, and bone erosion. This comprehensive overview centralizes the latest information on RA, aiming to assist specialists and patients in enhancing disease management.
Rheumatoid arthritis manifests as inflammatory arthritis, typically in the small joints of the hands and feet, and can lead to severe disabilities. The disease’s autoimmune nature involves inflammation and subsequent joint damage. It’s a chronic systemic condition affecting the synovial joints’ lining, associated with progressive disability and premature morbidity.
The disease’s risk factors include age, gender, genetics, and environmental exposures like smoking, air pollutants, and certain occupations. The immunopathogenesis of RA spans decades, beginning with autoantibody production against modified proteins. This systemic autoimmune disease is characterized by inflammatory arthritis and extra-articular involvement, often influenced by genetic and environmental factors, including tobacco.
Significant progress has been made in understanding RA’s pathophysiology, optimal outcome measures, and effective treatment strategies. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial. RA is a heterogeneous disease, classified into anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs)-positive and -negative RA based on genetic risk factors and autoantibodies. Recent research highlights the FGF10–FGFR1 axis in relapsing rheumatoid arthritis as a potential therapeutic target.
Learn more about RA from these sources:
PMC,
The New England Journal of Medicine,
Nature,
Nature,
PMC,
Nature Immunology,
StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf,
A Review,
PMC,
Nature Reviews Rheumatology.
