Rheumatoid Arthritis Explained

 Annie Sawyer, Ph. D. 

The autoimmune diseases, also known as autoimmune connective tissue diseases, or collagen vascular diseases (“colagenoses”) are known as diseases in which the immune system is not working properly due to the fact that is pathologically overexcited and alert. Generally women suffer more frequently of autoimmune disorders. However it is not fully understood why exactly women have a greater risk for developing autoimmune diseases associated with immune abnormalities. There is some evidence in experimental animal models that indicate that female sex hormones such as estrogen can potentiate or aggravate the immunological disturbances of several autoimmune disorders like lupus.

The immune system is a normal part of the human body that is designed to protect humans from infections (bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites) from the environment and ward off cancer cell development in our bodies. When the immune system gets out of control and starts attacking one's own bodily tissues, this is called "autoimmunity," due to the fact that blood proteins called antibodies are produced.  The above auto antibodies bind to different organs and can injure our own bodily tissues. In the case of rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system abnormalities can attack the lining of the joints. Other autoimmune diseases such as lupus erythematosis, polymyositis, dermatomyositis, and scleroderma are known as the most frequently diagnosed autoimmune diseases.

The process of inflammation is completely normal reaction of the human body to recover and to heal from invaders. It is characterized by a conglomerate or symptoms known as pain, tumor, dolor, calor and rubor.  Rheumatoid arthritis is mostly diagnosed as a compilation of stiff, painful, and swollen joints that is also causing deformation and invalidism later in life. Despite its primary joint’s localization   RA is a systemic autoimmune disease what means it can damage many other parts- organs and systems in the human body.

Characterized by its ups and downs or frequent remissions and relapses there are many other symptoms correlated with the RA.

·        Skin damage- In rheumatoid arthritis, one of the more common ways that the skin is affected is through  inflammation of the walls of the blood vessels known as Vasculitis. As Vasculitis can also occur in many internal organs, tissues and nerves, which requires a general treatment with intravenous or per oral drugs that can dampen down the autoimmune abnormalities producing the blood vessel walls inflammation.

·         RA can be followed by a chronic fatigue due to chronic inflammation at the background of the disease.

·        Anemia is also quite common in RA patients

·        Reynaud’s syndrome (pale cold hands and feet) caused by stress and cold weather. It is quite common in case of chronic alcoholism.

·        Sjogren’s syndrome – another autoimmune disease characterized by a compromised immune system attacking the body glands causing dry, burning eyes and dry mouth (hyposalivation). The syndrome is most common in adult women. The main symptoms- dryness results from autoimmune damage to the glands that make tears and saliva. This is maybe the most common of all rheumatic or arthritis-associated diseases but very often is under-diagnosed until it’s quite advanced. The syndrome is very similar to Fibromyalgia due to expressed similarities of symptoms: body tenderness, fatigue and lethargy. In its advanced stage internal organ’s damage as kidney problems, nerve injury, and blood vessel injury may occur.

Other organs damage:

a)     Heart attack or heart failure due to pericarditis (inflammation of the pericardium) and miocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle).

b)     Interstitial lung disease with consequent overgrowth of sclerotic tissue.

c)      Lymphatic system- cancer of the lymphatic nodules (Lymphoma). Lymphoma is a cancerous condition in which the cells of the immune system grow in an uncontrolled fashion within immune system organs like the lymph glands, the spleen, and bone marrow. There are also benign explanations for enlarged lymph nodes. A good physical exam performed by your primary care physician is the most prudent way to start before engaging in potentially hurtful biopsies.