Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammatory arthritis and extra-articular involvement. It’s a chronic inflammatory disorder often resulting from a combination of genetic and environmental factors, including tobacco. This disease primarily affects synovial joints and typically begins in small, peripheral joints, usually symmetrically.
The Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center provides detailed insight into RA’s pathophysiology. The synovial cavity, normally a potential space with a small amount of viscous fluid, undergoes significant changes in RA. Large fluid collections, known as “effusions,” occur, consisting of plasma filtrates with high protein content.
According to StatPearls on the NCBI Bookshelf, in seropositive rheumatoid arthritis, anti-CCP antibodies can appear long before any signs of inflammation, indicating a complex pathogenesis involving multiple factors. Environmental and genetic influences can interact, triggering adaptive immune responses.
The Mayo Clinic notes that rheumatoid arthritis can cause pain, swelling, and deformity. As the synovial membrane becomes inflamed and thickened, fluid builds up, leading to joint erosion and degradation. RA is more than just a joint disorder; it can affect various body parts, highlighting its systemic nature.
Further understanding of RA’s pathophysiology comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). RA mainly attacks multiple joints simultaneously, commonly affecting the hands, wrists, and knees. This autoimmune and inflammatory disease involves the immune system mistakenly attacking healthy cells, causing inflammation in the affected areas.
UpToDate discusses the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis, highlighting its complexity. Multiple factors, including genetics, environment, immunology, and others, contribute to the development and expression of the disease. While the exact etiology remains uncertain, these factors are known to play a significant role.
Medicine’s perspective on RA, as detailed on Medscape, presents it as a chronic systemic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology. It typically manifests as bilateral symmetric polyarthritis (synovitis), affecting the hands and feet. Any joint lined by a synovial membrane may be impacted, with extra-articular involvement of organs such as the skin and heart also possible.
