====== Rheumatoid Arthritis ======

//Rheumatoid Arthritis// (RA) is a chronic severe inflammatory disease believed to affect around 1% of the global population. It primarily affects joints,which  typically become warm, swollen and painful. Pain and stiffness often worsen following rest. Most commonly, the wrists and hands are involved, with the same joints typically involved on both sides of the body.

The disease may also affect other parts of the body, sometimes involving low red blood cell count, inflammation around the lungs, and inflammation around the heart.

>Scientists believe that rheumatoid arthritis may result from the interaction of many factors such as genetics, hormones, and the environment. __Although rheumatoid arthritis sometimes runs in families, the actual cause of rheumatoid arthritis is still unknown."__

>Research suggests that a person's genetic makeup is an important part of the picture, but not the whole story. Some evidence shows that infectious agents, such as viruses and bacteria, may trigger rheumatoid arthritis in people with an inherited tendency to develop the disease. __However, a specific agent or agents are not yet known."  __\\ \\ S//ource://[[https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/rheumatoid-arthritis-in-depth| US National Institutes of Health]]

There is currently no hard evidence that physical and emotional effects or stress are a trigger for the disease. The many negative findings suggest that either the trigger varies, or that it could be a chance event associated with the immune response.

Research groups are also investigating the possibility that there could be links with populations of gut-based organisms. As an example, one currently under scrutiny is //Prevotella copri, //which has been found at increased levels in RA patients. ([[https://acrjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/art.40003|ref.]])

//Note// : One of the frequently used treatment drugs [[content:medicine:drugs:sodium_aurothiomalate]] a gold salt, works by an as yet unexplained mechanism (though it's known that it inhibits the synthesis of prostaglandins and has an immuno-suppressant effect).

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Also see [[content:medicine:diseases:m-q:osteoarthritis]]

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