Synonyms
Inflammatory arthritis; RA; Rheumatoid
Definition
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic, inflammatory autoimmune disease characterized by symmetric, small joint, inflammatory arthritis. It has a peak incidence in the fourth or fifth decade of life and affects all ethnic groups worldwide with 2.5 times higher prevalence in females compared to males. The onset appears to be more frequent in winter months compared to summer months.
Epidemiology and Genetics
The overall general estimated prevalence of RA ranges from 0.2–1.1 % with higher rates seen in European and North American populations (0.5–1.1 %) and lower rates in Asia, Middle East, and South America (0.2–0.4 %). Some Native American populations including Pima, Chippewa, and Yakima groups have particularly high prevalence rates, greater than 5 %.
The pathogenesis of RAis thought to be multifactorial with both environment and genetic factors playing pivotal roles. The risk of developing RA is 1.5-fold higher in...
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Rao, T.S., Rahbar, L. (2016). Rheumatoid Arthritis. In: Parnham, M.J. (eds) Compendium of Inflammatory Diseases. Springer, Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7643-8550-7_205
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7643-8550-7_205
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