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Rheumatoid Arthritis Affecting The Whole Body

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RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
Rheumatoid arthritis is derived from the Greek word Rheumatos means "flowing". The suffix -oid means "resembling", i.e. resembling rheumatic fever. Arthr means "joint" and the suffix -itis, a "condition involving inflammation".and it gives the translation as joint inflammation. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by symmetric polyarthritis that can lead to significant joint destruction and disability (Kimberly et al., 2014). Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease, affecting the whole body, including the organs. This can lead to problems with the heart, respiratory system, nerves and eyes. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes premature mortality, disability and compromised quality of life in the industrialized and developing world (Giuseppe et al., 2013). …show more content…

The process involves an inflammatory response of the capsule around the joints (synovium) secondary to swelling (hyperplasia) of synovial cells, excess synovial fluid, and the development of fibrous tissue (pannus) in the synovium (Gerd et al.,2014). RA is more prevalent among women than men, and usually develops in the fourth and fifth decades of life, with 80% of the total cases occurring between ages 35 and 50 (Kavanaugh and Lipsky 1996).RA reduces lifespan on average from three to twelve years. RA is associated with decreased physical function, disability, under employment, and overall diminished quality of life. (Maclean C H et al., 2000). When it occurs in children it is called Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. The incidence and prevalence of RA differs significantly over time and between continents. The prevalence in developing countries ranges between 0.1 and 0.5% (Akar et al., 2004). Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory illness with prevalence of approximately 0.75% in India (Ausaf et al.,

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