WHAT IS RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (RA) AND WHAT DO GENES HAVE TO DO WITH IT?

Rheumatoid arthritis is a swelling or inflammation of the joints. It can affect any joint, however it is most commonly found in the smaller finger joints, hands and wrists. Joints affected are generally symmetrical.

Example: if a joint hurts on the right hand, the same joint on the left hand will hurt.. Multiple joint inflammation indicates severe deterioration and a progression of the disease.

THE ROLE OF GENES
Genes play an important role in the development of RA. However, some of the genes that are known to be associated with RA are common and found in many people who will never develop RA. It is believed that these genes create a tendency to develop RA. Why some people with these genes develop RA and other do not remains an area of research. It has recently been learned that smoking increases the risk of developing RA in people who also have a specific gene that is sometimes found with RA and increases the disease's severity. Scientists are currently conducting research to increase our understanding of these genes and other factors (such as infection, injury, hormonal changes and environmental factors) that may lead to the development of RA.

 

 

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?
The symptoms and course of RA will vary from person to person. In almost all people who have RA, joint symptoms change day by day. In some people, the disease may be mild with periods of activity (worsening joint inflammation) called flares. In others, the disease is continuously active and gets worse, or progresses, over time.

If you have RA, you will likely experience inflamed joints that are warm, swollen, tender, often pink and painful, and difficult to move.

These physical signs of arthritis are due to inflammation of the lining, or synovium, of the joints. If this inflammation continues or does not respond well to treatment, damage of nearby cartilage, bone, tendons and ligaments can follow. This often leads to joint deformity and disability that can last a lifetime.

RA may cause you to feel sick all over, especially during flares. Your may lose your appetite, lose weight, run a low-grade fever and have a little energy. You may become anemic that is, you may have a lower number of red blood cells than normal. People with RA also may develop rheumatoid nodules, which are lumps of tissue that form under the skin, often over bony areas exposed to pressure. These occur most often around the elbow but can be fund elsewhere on the body such as on the fingers, over the spine or on the feet.
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