Rheumatoid Arthritis: Causes, Treatments, and Future Cure
explanatory Essay
1253 words
Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that has direct involvement with the immune system. This disease is considered to be degenerative and currently the only thing that can be done is manage the painful symptoms and suppress the self targeting actions by using immune suppressing drugs. The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is mostly unknown but there is a high amount of evidence that there are genetic predispositions for the disease. This being said however there are also environmental factors to asses these include, bacteria, viruses, fungi and other environmental factors. Doctors primarily use a physical examination to first suspect R.A. then send for blood work to confirm. There are many aspects to this disease and many questions left unanswered, the treatments available now are only temporarily and can in some cases cause more problems than benefits. Lab experiments and clinical trials are currently showing some great results and could within our lifetimes cure many autoimmune diseases including R.A.. Although much is unknown on the causes of R.A. there are many things we see in correlation with the onset of disease. These include Bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. The mycoplasma bacteria, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, parvovirus and rubella (German measles) virus have all been considered as possible causative factors but conclusive evidence is still lacking (Zeliadt, 2010). Many times there have only been considerations for infectious bacteria causing this disease but now that idea is being questioned. A study involving mice in bacteria free cages showed that the friendly gut dwelling segmented filamentous bacteria (SFB) can cause onset of R.A. in greater numbers than those without. The mice that did no... ... middle of paper ... ...Retrieved Febuary 1, 2012, from About.com: http://arthritis.about.com/od/radiagnosis/a/rheumfactor.htm HJ, W., II, I., J, D., K, H., T, S., Y, U., et al. (2010). Gut-residing segmented filamentous bacteria drive autoimmune arthritis via T helper 17 cells. PubMed . Mayo Clinic Staff. (2011, May 2). Treatments and drugs. Retrieved Febuary 1, 2012, from Mayclinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/rheumatoid-arthritis/DS00020/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs Rodak, B. F., Fritsma, g. A., & Doig, K. (2007). Hematology: Clinical Principles and applications. St. louis: Saunders Elsevier. Stem Cell Institute. (2011). Stem Cell Treatments. Retrieved Febuary 1, 2012, from cellmedicine: http://www.cellmedicine.com/treatment/rheumatoid-arthritis/ Zeliadt, N. (2010). When Good Germs Go Bad: "Friendly" Gut Bacteria Can Trigger Rheumatoid Arthritis in Mice. Scientific American .
In this essay, the author
- Explains that rheumatoid arthritis is a degenerative disease that has direct involvement with the immune system.
- Explains that although many are unknown on the causes of r.a., there are many things in correlation with the onset of disease, such as bacterial, viral, and fungal infections.
- Explains that r.a. symptoms include joint pain, swelling in joints, fatigue, lack of appetite, low-grade fever, muscle and joint aches, nodules under the skin, and stiffness.
- Explains laboratory tests for inflammation, such as sedimentation rate, c-reactive protein, and other less commonly used tests, can be used to qualify inflammation.
- Explains that the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (esr) is a test for general inflammation. the higher the esr, the less inflammation the patient has.
- Explains that the c-reactive protein is a better test for inflammation and has less false positives than the esr.
- Explains that the rheumatoid factor agglutination test is used to qualify the presence of antibodies to human antibody.
- Explains that the ana test is specific for antibodies targeting the nucleus of the patient's cells. it has a tendency to show false positives in women over 65 years of age.
- Explains that anti-ccp is a very powerful test if positive to determine an r.a. diagnosis. if this antibody is present then there is an elevated risk for joint and tissue damage.
- Explains that current treatments for r.a. are minimal at best and deal with minimizing symptoms since there is currently no cure. steroids, nsaids, immunosuppressant drugs, tnf-inhibitors, and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs are used to reduce inflammation or slow the disease progression.
- Describes the stem cell institute's experimental treatments for r.a., which involve stem cells. the cells undergo a minimum of 7 days in the lab and are tested for bacterial contamination.
- Explains that r.a. is characterized by chronic inflammation, joint disfigurement, and pain. the current treatment modalities are insufficient and are only directed at treating the short term symptoms.
- Explains that rheumatoid arthritis: early diagnosis and treatment.
- Explains that gut-residing segmented filamentous bacteria drive autoimmune arthritis via t helper 17 cells.
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- Rheumatoid Arthritisexplanatory essayRheumatoid Arthritis or (RA) is an autoimmune disease that attacks the joints and connective tissue. The result is inflammation that produces permanent damage in the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic syndrome that tends to be progressive and destructive as compared to Osteoarthritis or (OA), which is more of an age related disease caused by “wear and tear” of the joints. In contrast to (OA), rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by inflammation mostly of the joints, but is a general body disease.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that attacks the joints and connective tissue.
- Explains that rheumatoid arthritis affects twice as many women as it does men.
- Explains that the treatment for rheumatoid arthritis is divided into two classes: fast-acting anti-inflammatory drugs and disease-modifying drugs. cytotoxic or immunosuppressive drugs can also be used for more severe cases.
- Explains that rheumatoid arthritis affects everyone differently.
1092 wordsRead More - Rheumatoid Arthritis: Early Detection and Treatmentexplanatory essayThis topic came up recently to me because my grandmother was diagnosed with it. She could barely walk and could not do many little things like get out of bed, and tie her shoes. Since my mom is a physical therapist she knew what to do, but I didn’t really know what it was or how to help her. Most of the things I knew about “arthritis” was that it affects your bones, but this was much more than that. I also didn’t realize that it was Rheumatoid Arthritis not just normal arthritis,they are different because Rheumatoid Arthritis has to do with your joints unlike regular arthritis that has to do with the wear and tear of your bones. I wish I had known if I could prevent it or even if it is genetic and if I could develop it too. I also wanted to know what the symptoms were because all I knew about it was that she was in pain. I was scared she wasn’t going to live as long because she got this, so that is why I decided to write this paper.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that their grandmother was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, which affects your joints. they wish they had known if they could prevent it or develop it too.
- Explains that ra is an autoimmune disease in which your body's immune system mistakenly attacks your joints. early diagnosis and prompt treatment is the key to preventing joint destruction and organ damage.
- Narrates how they began their search for rheumatoid arthritis. they found a definition from arthritis.com and mayoclinic.org.
- Narrates how they found two websites that looked like they would have good information about rheumatoid arthritis. the first was "http://www.orencia.com/" but when they read it, it had a lot of broad statements.
- Explains that they wanted to look up specific information about the disease, so they found a website that answered the question, "can it be prevented?" there is no way to prevent it because it is hereditary.
- Narrates how they found the answer to their main question on the cdc website. once they finished the research, they were confident in everything they got and the websites they had used and didn't use.
- Explains that rheumatoid arthritis affects more women than men, and most people who develop it have a background of smoking.
- Explains that rheumatoid arthritis can't be prevented, and there are many treatments used to manage it.
- Explains the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, stating that symptoms include pain, fatigue, and warm reddish swollen joints.
- Explains that even though there is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, it can be treated in many different forms.
- Opines that even though medications may help, you still need to treat the problem by going to therapy.
- Explains that their grandmother can never live a normal life again, but they can try to make it as close to normal as possible. they will make sure whenever they go over her house to help her do little things that are hard for her.
- Explains that they learned a lot about their subject and how to write an i-search paper.
- Explains that ra: treatment programs for rheumatoid arthritis pain. n.p., n.d.
1460 wordsRead More - Essay On Rheumatoid Arthritisexplanatory essayRheumatoid Arthritis is when the joints are chronically inflamed, which happens because it is an autoimmune disease which means that the immune system attacks the body tissues. Although Rheumatoid Arthritis mainly affects the joints, it can also affect other organs.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that affects the joints, but can also affect other organs.
- Explains that it is still unknown what the cause of rheumatoid arthritis is but there are some theories that have not been proven.
- Explains that only 0.9% of south africans have rheumatoid arthritis and it is much less common among rural black people. women are three times more likely to have it.
- Explains that there is no special diet that will prevent rheumatoid arthritis. some studies show that fish oil may help to prevent some of the symptoms.
- Explains that traditional medicines like ufudu, sengaparele, and ishaba bark are used to help with rheumatoid arthritis. borage seed oil helps to relieve pain and swelling of joints.
- Explains that reflexology helps with pain and stiffness in rheumatoid arthritis sufferers.
- Explains that rheumatoid arthritis can be active or in remission depending on whether the tissues are inflamed or not.
- Explains that rheumatoid arthritis has no cure but there are many treatments that mainly reduce pain and inflammation of joints.
1182 wordsRead More - Rheumatoid Arthritis Essayexplanatory essayRheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that affects between 0.5% to 1% of the adult population worldwide,1 and is characterized by the production of two known antibodies: rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated peptide antibody (ACPA).2 These antibodies act against common auto-antigens that are widely expressed within and outside the joints,3 .
In this essay, the author
- Explains that rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that affects between 0.5% to 1% of the adult population worldwide.
- Explains that joint destruction causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the affected joints. the disease has a high propensity to infiltrate bone and cartilage and can cause disability, loss of working capacity, early retirement and premature death.
- Explains that it is unknown what triggers the auto-immune reaction which results in rheumatoid arthritis. homeostatic dysregulations in immunity are driven by pathophysiological processes.
- Explains that immune cells enter the synovium via activated endothelial cells that express various adhesion molecules. antigens associated with rheumatoid arthritis are presented to t cells by professional antigen-presenting cells.
- Explains that peptide-mhc complexes engage t-cell receptors, but t cells need at least a second signal for their full activation.
- Explains that t cells and b cells are associated with the secretion of various cytokines. tnf- and il-1 are believed to play key roles in the inflammation and joint damage that occur in ra.
- Compares how il-1 and tnf- mediate joint inflammation and destruction by inducing the synthesis and release of inflammatory metalloproteinases, prostaglandins and nitric oxide.
- Explains that mark r. opp's studies have shown that il-1 and tnf- are involved in the regulation of sleep.
- Explains that exogenous injections of il-1 or tnf- in a study conducted by pollmächer t., et al. have been shown to increase slow wave activity.
- Explains that increased sleep disruption and sleep deprivation lead to an upregulation of sleep regulatory cytokines, resulting in an increased production of both tnf- and il-6.
- Explains that noxious stimuli and painful disorders interfere with sleep, but disturbances in sleep also contribute to the experience of pain in patients with chronic pain syndromes.
942 wordsRead More - Rheumatoid Arthritisexplanatory essayRheumatoid Arthritis It began seven years ago when Sandra woke up and was getting out bed. She went to stand up and she felt this severe pain in both of her feet. When she looked at her feet they were swollen and bluish red and warm to the touch. She could not understand what was happening. At first she thought she might have frozen her feet.
In this essay, the author
- Narrates how sandra's rheumatoid arthritis began seven years ago when she woke up and felt severe pain in both of her feet.
- Describes sandra's diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, a crippling disease that causes painful swelling and stiffness that affects the wrists and fingers.
- Explains that rheumatoid arthritis is a debilitating disease that affects all parts of the body.
- Explains the treatment options for rheumatoid arthritis.
- Explains that dr. phillips suggests six changes that will help you live a better life: plan activities in advance, reorganize rooms, working areas, and other parts of your home to maximize efficiency and convenience.
- Opines that educating oneself about rheumatoid arthritis is the best way to fight the disease.
- Opines that scientists are making rapid progress in understanding rheumatoid arthritis, how and why it develops, why some people get it more severely than others.
- Cites dequesne university's study of rheumatoid arthritis. horstman, j., korchinski, s. and phillips, r.
- Explains that rall, l. c., roubenoff, r. (2000) nutrition and connective tissue health: health reference center.
- Describes the methods of collecting data.
- Describes the symptoms of arthritis, such as morning stiffness and how long it lasts.
1225 wordsRead More - rheumatoid arthritisexplanatory essayRheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that attacks the joints and connective tissue. Autoimmune diseases are illnesses that occur when the bodys tissue is mistakenly attacked by its own immune system. The immunes system is primarly organized to look for infections and destroy them, patients with rheumatoid arthritis have antibodies in their blood which target their own tissue which leads to inflammation. RA is basically a chronic syndrome that is characterized by inflammation of the peripheral joints, but it may also involve the lungs, the heart, the blood vessels and eyes.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that attacks the joints and connective tissue. autoimmune diseases occur when the body's tissue is mistakenly attacked by its own immune system.
- Explains morning stiffness is one of the hallmark symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
- Explains that the cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown, but researchers believe it can be caused by enviromental, hormonal and a combination of genetic factors.
- Explains that the american college of rheumtalogy uses a specific list of criteria to diagnose ra.
- Explains that there is no known cure for ra, but there are a couple of medications used to treat the symptoms.
- Explains that anyone can get ra, but it is more common in women. an estimated 1.3 million people in the u.s have it, making it 1 % of the world's population.
- Explains that cdc claims that the mortality rate also increases in patients with established ra as with the general population.
604 wordsRead More - arthritisexplanatory essayArthritis. Arthritis is a disease that in some way effects everyone. Whether you have arthritis or not, chances are, you know someone who does and can see the effect it has on them. There are some common misconceptions about arthritis, types of arthritis, and the causes. There are in fact some different types of the disease that most people don’t know about.
In this essay, the author
- Describes the symptoms of arthritis.
- Explains that arthritis is a disease that in some way affects everyone. there are common misconceptions about arthritis, types of arthritis and the causes.
- Explains that osteoarthritis is a degenerative arthritis in which joint cartilage breaks down.
- Explains that rheumatoid arthritis is the second most common form of arthritis, right behind osteoarthritis.
- Explains that polyarteritis nodosa is a rarer form of arthritis. it affects four times as many males as females, and of those, mostly young adults.
- Explains that ankylosing spondylitis affects the spine, which causes fusing of the vertebrae. it is more common in young men than women.
- Explains that still's disease (juvenile rheumatoid arthritis) is the last kind of inflammatory arthritis affecting juveniles.
- Explains that bacterial infective arthritis is the next type of arthritis. it can be caused by cuts, missing teeth, or boils.
- Explains that fungus infections can cause viral infective arthritis, but it's rare because it doesn't attack the skeletal system. virus infections like rubella, mumps, flu, viral hepatitis, and upper-respiratory infections may cause arthralgia.
- Explains that treatment for arthritis depends on the symptoms and varies with the physician.
- Cites the article "osteoarthritis" by the arthriti's foundation.
- Cites the american academy of orthopaedic surgeons' "new studies link rheumatoid arthritis and heart disease".
- Cites the national institute for arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin disease.
1306 wordsRead More - Autoimmune Disordersexplanatory essayThe immune system consists of a defense system that shields the body against invasion from infections and other diseases. Normally, a healthy person's immune system has the ability to differentiate between its own cells and cells that represent threats to the health of the body. (Craft and Kanter, 2002). The term "autoimmune disease" refers to a wide-range of well over 80 acute, long-lasting diseases that involve nearly every organ in the body's system. With autoimmune diseases, the underlying issue is similar--the body's immune system becomes misdirected, attacking the precise organs it was intended to guard. As a result, the body's own defense mechanism produces antibodies that attack the body's own tissues and cells. Autoimmune diseases can also have an effect on connective tissue, including affecting the nerves, muscles, endocrine system, and gastrointestinal system.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the immune system is a defense system that shields the body against invasion from infections and other diseases. the term 'autoimmune disease' refers to over 80 acute, long-lasting diseases that involve nearly every organ.
- Explains that autoimmune diseases are not communicable and cannot be transmitted to other people.
- Describes how their six-year-old was diagnosed with autoimmune hemolytic anemia in september 2010. the doctor ordered a cbc test to analyze his blood cell count.
- Explains that autoimmune hemolytic anemia symptoms might appear rapidly or gradually. they include low red blood cell count, increased heart rate and respiration, weakness, fatigue, an enlarged spleen, and jaundice.
- Explains that a cbc blood test is used to diagnose and manage various diseases through analysis of the number of red and white blood cells, and platelets in the blood. a coombs' test shows if an individual's immune system is making antibodies.
- Explains that treating autoimmune disorders is to alleviate some of the symptoms associated with the disorder while enabling the immune system to defend itself
- Describes how their six-year-old angle succumbed to complications arising from autoimmune hemolytic anemia and abdominal cancer.
- Explains that autoimmune disorders are unpredictable, making it hard for health professionals to predict what will happen to the patient in the long run.
- Cites franz, janie f., wilson, jennifer f, and longe, jacqueline.
- Explains lambert, michele p., schwartz, william, and wrong diagnosis.com. the 5-minute pediatric consult.
- Explains laberge, monique, and davidson, tish. "autoimmune disorders." the gale encyclopedia of medicine. jacqueline l. longe.
- Cites craft, joseph e., and kantor, fred s. in the patient's guide to medical tests.
- Explains that odle, teresa, "hemolytic anemia." the gale encyclopedia of medicine. 3rd ed. vol. 3.
- Explains that polsdorfer, j. ricker. "coombs' tests." the gale encyclopedia of medicine. 3rd ed.
- Explains vorvick, linda j., md. idiopathic autoimmune hemolytic anemia.
- Explains that dugdale, david c., iii, md. (march 2009). autoimmune disorders. university of washington school of medicine.
1329 wordsRead More - Crohn's Diseaseexplanatory essayCrohn’s Disease was named after an American gastroenterologist, Dr. Burrill Bernard Crohn, in 1932. He and his colleagues discovered an abnormal pathogen, Mycobacterium paratuberculosis while studying a related disease, ulcerative colitis, which belongs to a larger group if illnesses called Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). The discovery was made while studying the effects of ulcerative colitis in cattle and noticing the similar characteristics in humans. The infections had an abnormal response with the body’s immune system in both the cattle and humans.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that crohn's disease was named after an american gastroenterologist, dr. burrill bernard cron, in 1932. they discovered an abnormal pathogen, mycobacterium paratuberculosis while studying ulcerative colitis, which belongs to a larger group of illnesses called inflammatory bowel disease.
- Explains that crohn's disease is a debilitating disorder that causes ulcerations and breaks in the lining of the small and large intestine.
- Explains that crohn's disease runs in families. siblings of infected parents are thirty times more likely to develop the disease than the general population.
- Explains that the direct cause of crohn's disease is unknown, although several theories exist; immune system problems, genetics or environmental factors.
- Explains that crohn's can cause bowel obstructions, ulcers and fistulas. surgery is required to remove the damaged portion and a colostomy bag is installed to aid in the removal of deification.
- Explains that ulcers may extend through the wall forming a fistula, an abnormal connection between different parts of the intestines. if left untreated or ignored, foods may bypass bowel where absorption for nutrition is necessary.
- Explains that if crohn's becomes long-standing, it may develop into osteoporosis, a thinning of bone tissue and loss of density over time.
- Explains that doctors use several categories of drugs to control inflammation. it will take time to determine which drug formula is most beneficial. alternative therapies such as herbal and nutritional supplements, fish oils, acupuncture, and probiotics are available.
- Explains the need for xrays to determine the extent and development of crohn's disease. barium, a white chalky substance that is swallowed, is used to aid in determining the disease severity.
- Explains the use of a colonscope to determine the location and severity of the disease. colonoscopies are more accurate than the barium xrays because they provide small tissue samples, biopsies, and asses the degree of inflammation within the colon.
- Explains video capsule endoscopy, which involves swallowing a capsule and sending images to the small intestine. with this miniature tool, early and mild abnormalities of crohn's can be identified.
- Opines that technologies are always improving but there is still no known cure for this disease. therapies can greatly reduce the signs and symptoms and may even bring about long-term remission.
- Cites http://www.med.umich.edu/ibd/glossary.htm, cnn.com/health/library/crohns-disease/ds00104.html, and wikipedia.org/wiki/burrill-bernard crohn.
1173 wordsRead More - A Close Look at Rheumatoid Arthritisopinionated essayPathophysiology RA is a mediated inflammatory process that triggers an autoimmune response. The result is in the production of antibodies and inflammatory cytokines that over time destroys bone, cartilage, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels (Dewing, Setter, & Slusher, 2012). Although joints are the primary areas of destruction, the inflammatory process can also affect various organs, such as heart tissue including the heart values, visceral layers of the lung and brain, spleen, sclera and larynx (Dunphy, Windland-Brown, Porter, & Thomas 2011). If RA is not treated promptly or if the patient does not respond to treatment, irrevocable bone deformity, bone erosion and immobility is often the sequelae.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that ra is a mediated inflammatory process that triggers an autoimmune response that destroys bone, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels.
- Defines complementary alternative therapy as a health care methodology used outside of or in addition to mainstream medicine.
- Explains that uhlig's non-randomized controlled study documented the safety and benefits of tai chi in patients with ra.
- Describes a quantitative and qualitative study that found benefits with regular use of tai chi by ra patients.
- Explains the benefits of omega-3 fatty acid, known as fish oil, in the treatment of inflammatory disease such as ra.
- Describes a double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to establish the effectiveness of adjunctive omega fatty acid infusion for the treatment of ra.
- Describes the randomized, double-blind, controlled trial that evaluated the use of fo in recent onset ra to reduce failure of triple dmard therapy.
- Describes the double blind placebo-controlled study of cod liver oil in combination with nsaids in ra patients.
- Explains that proudman, cleland, and james published a literature review of 14 double-blind randomized, controlled trials examining fo’s efficacy and utility in the treatment of ra.
- Explains that the selected literature shows promise for the therapeutic use of cam to manage symptomatology. the emerging evidence is encouraging and supports the need for further research.
- Opines that the nurse practitioner must be aware of early signs and symptoms of ra, and current standards of practice.
- Opines that patients want to be educated and counseled on all forms of treatment. it is not the job of the provider to decide what the patients do not need to know but to help them make an informed decision about their care options.
- States that the national center for complementary and alternative medicine (nccam) has set a strategic plan with five objectives to address challenges in cam.
- Explains barnes, p. m., bloom, b. & nahin, r. l. complementary and alternative medicine use.
- Explains the two types of medications used to treat ra. fast-acting medications address pain and inflammation, while slow-action medications slow joint destruction and stimulate remission.
- Evaluates the effectiveness of tai chi as an alternative therapy in rheumatoid arthritis.
- Explains that the cochrane review reviewed four studies investigating the use of tai chi in patients with ra.
- Opines that cam is not a replacement for traditional treatments of ra. providers should be diligent about alerting patients of commonly known side effects of the different therapies.
- Argues that the lack of communication between practitioner and patient makes it difficult to open a conversation about alternative therapies.
- Cites bassett, callahan, wiley-exley, mielenz, brady, xiao, c., currey, s.
- Describes the results of a randomized, double-blind controlled trial of fish oil in recent onset rheumatoid arthritis.
- Cites nice's article on the management of rheumatoid arthritis in adults.
3766 wordsRead More