Rheumatoid Arthritis Pathophysiology

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a type of arthritis that often affects people with psoriasis, an autoimmune skin condition that is characterized by red patches of skin topped with silvery scales. Most people who have PsA will develop psoriasis first, but it is possible to have joint problems before skin symptoms appear. Psoriasis affects up to 3% of people worldwide with up to 40% of this group also having PsA. Both psoriasis and PsA are autoimmune diseases, conditions where the body's immune system attacks its healthy tissues. The main symptoms of PsA are joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. These, and other symptoms like chronic fatigue, are often ones that cannot be seen by others. This is why people consider PsA an invisible disease. Symptoms of PsA can affect any part of the body and will range from mild to severe. PsA often alternates between flare-up periods (periods of high disease activity) and periods of remission (while the disease is mild or inactiv...

Palindromic rheumatism is a rare form of arthritis that causes symptoms to flare up periodically and then disappear, leaving no lasting damage to the joints. Palindromic rheumatism is a form of inflammatory arthritis. This means that it causes inflammation, pain, and swelling around the affected joints. In this article, we take a close look at palindromic rheumatism, examining its causes, symptoms, and outlook. Unlike other forms of arthritis, the symptoms of palindromic arthritis come and go without leaving permanent damage in the joints. The pain may come and go suddenly and can arise in different joints. In the English language, 'palindrome' means a word that is spelled the same both backward and forward. Hence, palindromic rheumatism attacks tend to begin and end with the same mild symptoms. The symptoms peak in the middle of the attack. Palindromic arthritis affects men and women equally and can affect people of any age. It is most common in people between the ages of 20 a...

If you are coughing up white mucus, you probably want to know what it means for your health. While the color of your mucus might suggest what is causing it, that's not always the case. Your doctor might ask you about the color of your mucus, but they usually can't diagnose you based on mucus color alone. They will also want to know about the consistency (thickness) and other characteristics of the mucus that you are coughing up. Here's what we know about coughing up white-colored mucus. Antonio Guillem/Getty Images Why Do We Cough? Coughing is a protective reflex that keeps unwanted substances out of your airways and lungs. If you can't cough, you are at risk of aspiration and other respiratory problems. While the occasional cough is not necessarily a sign of a problem, some conditions like respiratory infections or allergies can cause you to cough more often as your body makes an effort to remove excess mucus. ...

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a type of inflammatory arthritis that primarily affects the joints of the hands, wrists, and knees, but any joint in the body can be affected. For some people, RA can damage other body systems, including the skin, eyes, heart, and blood vessels. RA is an autoimmune disease, which means it results from the immune system mistakenly attacking healthy tissues. It is characterized by damaging inflammation. Left untreated, RA can cause bone erosion and joint deformity. Inflammation can also damage other parts of the body. The risk for damage to the joints and other parts of the body is why early diagnosis and aggressive treatment in RA are vital. In this article, we will cover the earliest symptoms people with RA might experience, their frequency, as well as complications, and more. Science Photo Library / Getty Images Frequent Symptoms The earliest signs and symptoms of RA will come on gradually, some even...

[unable to retrieve full-text content] Your child's cold could be a more dangerous respiratory illness    KPVI News 6

Patients with psoriasis and a concomitant diagnosis of gout have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), independent of traditional risk factors, according to study results published in Frontiers in Immunology . In a population-based cohort study, patients were identified from a national insurance database in Taiwan and stratified according to the presence of psoriasis and gout. Between 2000 and 2013, there were 97 patients with psoriasis and gout, 388 with psoriasis alone, 388 matched patients with gout alone and 388 matched control participants. Hazard ratios (HRs) for CVD were determined using Cox proportional hazard models and subgroup analyses adjusted for traditional risk factors. Relative risk for the development of CVD among patients with gout alone and patients with combined psoriasis and gout was 2.44 (95% CI, 1.78-3.36) and 2.90 (95% CI, 1.88-4.48), respectively. Compared with a psoriasis diagnosis alone, a combined diagnosis of psoriasis ...

Pain and swelling in the finger joints typically results from inflammation. Joint inflammation that causes sudden pain and swelling can be caused by several conditions, including acute injury to the hands or fingers or from a chronic, systemic condition that causes widespread joint inflammation.  Inna Kozhina / Getty Images Causes A number of conditions can affect your hand and finger joints and cause sudden pain, from an injury and infection to arthritis and autoimmune diseases. Injury Injury to your fingers, including jamming your finger, crushing injuries, or direct trauma to your hands or fingers can cause joint inflammation. After an injury, the body's immune system responds by sending blood and fluid to the area to protect the injured part, causing swelling. Pain and swelling resolve as the injury begins to heal and blood flow increases to the affected area.  Infection Swollen and inflamed finger joints can r...