engleski

Laboratory standards in diagnosis and therapy monitoring of rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common inflammatory rheumatic disease with a prevalence of 0.5% to 1% in the general population and a male to female ratio of 2.5:1. The disease usually manifests at the age of 40- 70 years, its incidence rising with age. The lowest prevalence of RA is reported from rural Africa, and highest in particular groups of native Americans (Pima and Chippewa). Mainly, it is an inflammation of the synovial membrane (which lines the joint cavity and secretes synovial fluid acting as a 'lubricant') and hyperplasia of the synovial tissue with considerable infiltration of lymphocytes, macrophages and plasma cells. Typical clinical symptoms of RA include symmetrical synovitis, which initially involves only one pair of small finger joints (proximal interphalangeal, metacarpophalangeal or metatarsophalangeal joints) with painful episodes and erythema. During the disease characterized by acute inflammatory episodes, destructive changes of the joints develop and result in deformity and progressive functional impairment. RA is also a systemic inflammatory disorder with extra- articular manifestations such as rheumatoid nodes in subcutaneous tissues, pleuritis, pericarditis, ulcerations, and digital gangrene due to immune complex deposits...

laboratory standards ; diagnosis ; rheumatoid arthritis

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