When does arthritis end in paralysis, and can it lead to death?

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammation that usually affects the joints of the hands, feet, knees, hips and shoulders. The disease affects the joints lined with the synovial membrane.

If this condition persists for an extended period of time, it can cause permanent damage to tendons, ligaments and cartilage, and deformation of bones and joints.

There are no known causes for the disease, but it may be hereditary, and it may affect the way the immune system works. For example, people who carry the HLA-DR gene are more likely to develop the disease than other people.

Symptoms of the disease

Rheumatoid arthritis is a progressive, symptomatic condition that leads to permanent joint damage that worsens over time, and thus leads to social and functional decline. Among the clinical symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are; Joint stiffness, usually in the morning hours, joint swelling that may affect any joint, but mostly the small joints of the hands and feet symmetrically, fatigue, fever, weight loss and depression. Rheumatoid arthritis is also associated with some other serious conditions, such as permanent joint damage that can lead to inability to function, and an increased risk of coronary artery disease and infection. Prevalence of the disease Rheumatoid arthritis affects about 1% of adults worldwide.

The number of women suffering from the disease is twice the number of men. This disease can occur at any age, but most often it occurs between the forties and seventies.

To identify the disease, several tests must be performed, as it is difficult to diagnose it accurately, and its symptoms appear only with the passage of time. Diagnosis is often based on a number of symptoms, including the type of joint disease affected and the results of X-rays and imaging tests, which show joint damage and a high level of “an antibody called rheumatoid factor in the blood” and anti-CCP factor. The economic impact of RA has an economic impact on its patients, as high rates of indirect costs make them unable to carry out their daily activities. Studies in Europe show that between 20 to 30 percent of rheumatoid arthritis patients become unable to work during the first three years of infection. Research has also shown that 66 percent of rheumatoid arthritis patients lose an average of 39 working days each year. In Europe, the direct costs of 'incapacity to work' and indirect 'medical care' costs to the community have been estimated to be $21 per patient per year. The effect of a person's inability to work and interact with society can increase the risk of depression and anxiety. Early treatment Joint damage may occur quickly in the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis, and joint damage appears in 70% of X-ray examinations on patients in the first and second years of infection. The MRI also shows changes in the structure of the joints compared to what they were two months after the onset of the disease. Because joint damage may occur rapidly at the onset of the disease, there may be an immediate need to start effective treatment after it has been diagnosed, and before serious joint damage can occur, leading to the inability to recover from a return to the pre-injury state. The treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has undergone a major change over the past decade, as treatment has moved from a conservative method aimed at controlling clinical symptoms to a more advanced method designed to reduce joint damage and disability.

The primary goal of rheumatoid arthritis treatment is to prevent the development of the disease, or what is known in another context as reducing the disease. Historically, rheumatoid arthritis was treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or simple analgesics that relieve pain and symptoms. However, these drugs are currently being replaced by those modified anti-rheumatoid drugs that have a regulating effect on the body and prevent long-term damage to the joint structure. Biologics A new class of treatments called biologics for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis have recently been developed, manufactured from live human and animal proteins. While some other drugs have a significant effect on the immune system, biologics are specifically designed to target intermediates believed to be involved in the inflammatory process. And some biological substances block the activity of natural proteins in the body. The analyzes revealed that biological drugs limit the development of joint damage, prevent the disease from worsening, and allow patients to reduce the severity of the disease, according to the results of X-rays, which were evaluated by radiographs and magnetic resonance examinations. Effective early treatment not only reduces the disease or even stops the progression of the infection, but it improves the quality of life, and also reduces the social costs.