What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis one of the autoimmune diseases that develop differently depending on the patient's condition. It can progress at a different speed with a variation of the symptoms, so it can be more severe for people than others. In addition, since rheumatoid arthritis has just general treatment to reduce the symptoms, many people lose their joint's function. According to the BMJ, "globally, rheumatoid arthritis was ranked as the 42nd highest contributor to global disability." [1] To help people understand rheumatoid arthritis, this essay will talk about the four stages of the disease and what happen inside a patient’s body that has the disease.
Pathophysiology of the disease is the best way to understand what happen inside a patient’s …show more content…
If the accumulation of these cells continues, the movement will be limited and eventually the disease will develop to the next stage. Furthermore, white blood cells release inflammatory mediators that start forming the pannus, which is an inflammatory synovial tissue that covers the cartilage and destroys it. [5] The third stage is a severe stage that causes a complete destruction of the cartilage. This happens when the pannus release enzymes that cause an erosion around the edge of the joints, so it will lose its moving ability. After that, the fourth stage or the end stage of rheumatoid arthritis comes causing a destruction and loss in the density of the bones, not only in the area that surrounds the affected joints but also in all of the body. Moreover, the neutrophils, which is a type of the white blood cells, worsen the inflammation in the joint. According to the Rheumatology Oxford Journal, "not only are neutrophils found in high numbers within the rheumatoid joint, both in synovial tissue and in joint fluid." [6] For this reason, neutrophils play a huge role in the cartilage and bone destruction that happen in the third and fourth stages.
To sum up, researchers help people understand the disease by dividing rheumatoid arthritis into four stages and each stage has its characteristics that differentiate it from other
Pathophysiology of the disease is the best way to understand what happen inside a patient’s …show more content…
If the accumulation of these cells continues, the movement will be limited and eventually the disease will develop to the next stage. Furthermore, white blood cells release inflammatory mediators that start forming the pannus, which is an inflammatory synovial tissue that covers the cartilage and destroys it. [5] The third stage is a severe stage that causes a complete destruction of the cartilage. This happens when the pannus release enzymes that cause an erosion around the edge of the joints, so it will lose its moving ability. After that, the fourth stage or the end stage of rheumatoid arthritis comes causing a destruction and loss in the density of the bones, not only in the area that surrounds the affected joints but also in all of the body. Moreover, the neutrophils, which is a type of the white blood cells, worsen the inflammation in the joint. According to the Rheumatology Oxford Journal, "not only are neutrophils found in high numbers within the rheumatoid joint, both in synovial tissue and in joint fluid." [6] For this reason, neutrophils play a huge role in the cartilage and bone destruction that happen in the third and fourth stages.
To sum up, researchers help people understand the disease by dividing rheumatoid arthritis into four stages and each stage has its characteristics that differentiate it from other