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Rheumatoid Arthritis: Body
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Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory illness that affects the joints and because it is "systemic" (affecting the entire body), it can affect other parts of the body as well. It occurs in about1-2% of the population and is more common in women, affecting them 3 times more often than men. It can begin at any age but commonly first occurs between the ages of 35 and 45.
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Rheumatoid arthritis is one of more than 100 forms of arthritis. It is a chronic (ongoing) condition in which the synovium (the tissue that lines and lubricates the joints) becomes inflamed. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack the joints. Large and small joints, as well as both sides of the body, are usually affected. Over time, the joints become deformed and knotted-looking if the disease is not treated properly. The disease is ... systemic and may affects many tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and muscles.
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Rheumatoid arthritis is different from osteoarthritis, the common arthritis that often comes with older age. RA can affect body parts besides joints, such as your eyes, mouth and lungs. RA is an autoimmune disease, which means the arthritis results from your immune system attacking your body's own tissues.
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Rheumatoid arthritis is one of several autoimmune diseases, so-called because a person's immune system attacks his or her own body tissues. Scientists don't know exactly what causes this, but research over the last few years has begun to unravel the factors involved.
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Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory condition of the joints where the body’s own immune system "attacks" joint tissue. It is classified as an autoimmune disease for this reason. A number of factors have been implicated in such an autoimmune reaction.
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Rheumatoid arthritis should not be confused with other forms of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis or arthritis associated with infections. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. This means that the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the tissues it is supposed to protect.
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