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Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that can cause chronic inflammation of the joints and other areas of the body.
Rheumatoid arthritis can affect persons of all ages.
The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is not known.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease, characterized by periods of disease flares and remissions.
In rheumatoid arthritis, multiple joints are usually, but not always, affected in a symmetrical pattern.
Chronic inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis can cause permanent joint destruction and deformity.
Damage to joints can occur early and does not correlate with symptoms.
The "rheumatoid factor" is an antibody blood test that can be found in 80 % of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
There is no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis.
The treatment of rheumatoid arthritis optimally involves a combination of patient education, rest and exercise, joint protection, medications, and occasionally surgery.
Early treatment of rheumatoid arthritis results in better outcomes.