Rheumatoid Arthritis : New Observational Study
According to a new observational study, anti-rheumatic medicines used to treat rheumatoid arthritis may help reduce the development of autoimmune thyroid disease.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease, which means that your immune system attacks healthy cells in your body by mistake, causing inflammation (painful swelling) in the affected parts of the body.
- RA mainly attacks the joints, usually many joints at once. RA commonly affects joints in the hands, wrists, and knees.
- In a joint with RA, the lining of the joint becomes inflamed, causing damage to joint tissue.
- This tissue damage can cause long-lasting or chronic pain, unsteadiness (lack of balance), and deformity (misshapenness).
- RA can also affect other tissues throughout the body and cause problems in organs such as the lungs, heart, and eyes.
- RA is the result of an immune response in which the body’s immune system attacks its own healthy cells. The specific causes of RA are unknown, but some factors can increase the risk of developing the disease.
- RA can be effectively treated and managed with medication(s) and self-management strategies.
- Treatment for RA usually includes the use of medications that slow the disease and prevent joint deformity, called disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).
