Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that results in a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks flexible (synovial) joints. It can be a disabling and painful condition, which can lead to substantial loss of functioning and mobility if not adequately treated.
RA primarily affects joints, however it also affects other organs in 15–25% of individuals. It can be difficult to determine whether disease manifestations are directly caused by the rheumatoid process itself, or from side effects of the medications used to treat it – for example, lung fibrosis from methotrexate or osteoporosis from corticosteroids.
