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Your immune system attacks sections of your own body as though they were deadly pathogens, causing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The immune system targets the synovium, which is the membrane that surrounds your joints and other tissues. This causes inflammation, which damages and even destroys the bone and cartilage in the joints.
The fundamental cause of rheumatoid arthritis, like other autoimmune illnesses including lupus and psoriasis, is unknown. Doctors do know that certain variables, such as smoking and obesity, might increase your risk of not only getting the condition but also having more severe symptoms.
Rheumatoid arthritis, like all autoimmune disorders, is characterized by a malfunctioning immune system. The body develops defense proteins (called antibodies) that are "trained" to target and attack a certain disease-causing substance in normal circumstances (called a pathogen).
The body will occasionally develop autoantibodies ("auto" meaning "self") that confuse normal cells and tissues for infections for unknown reasons. The autoimmune attack may be broad (affecting numerous organs) or particular (affecting a single organ) depending on the condition (preferentially targeting one or more organ systems).
The joints are selectively targeted in rheumatoid arthritis, implying that a component of the immune system is "mis-programming" antibodies in a very specific way. This aberration is thought to be caused by variations in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system, the genetic locus that governs the immunological response.
Rheumatoid arthritis has a cause-and-effect relationship with smoking. Cigarettes not only raise your chances of having the condition, but they can also hasten the progression of your symptoms, sometimes dramatically.
Furthermore, whether present or former smokers, smokers who test positive for rheumatoid factor (RF) are three times more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than non-smokers. Smoking is known to induce cell death, increase inflammation, and boost the generation of free radicals, which further damage already inflamed joint tissue as a separate risk factor.
Smoking can interfere with the efficacy of medications used to treat the disease, making them less effective. This covers older TNF-blockers like methotrexate as well as newer TNF-blockers like Enbrel (etanercept) and Humira (adalimumab).
Rheumatoid arthitis is characterized by chronic inflammation, which causes bone and joint tissue to degenerate and disintegrate over time. Anything that exacerbates the irritation will only worsen the situation.
Obesity, which is characterized by the buildup of adipose (fat) cells and the hyperproduction of inflammatory proteins known as cytokines, is one condition that can promote systemic inflammation.
The higher the number of specific cytokines in your body, the more fat cells you have. Furthermore, additional body weight puts more strain on the affected joints, especially the knees, hips, and feet, leading to more mobility loss and pain.
While rheumatoid arthritis symptoms might flare up for no apparent reason, certain factors can cause symptoms to worsen suddenly. One of these things is physical overexertion.
While the exact mechanism is unknown, it's thought that the abrupt and excessive release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline may trigger changes in the body that indirectly enhance the autoimmune response. While this does not negate the great benefits of exercise in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, it does suggest that physical activity should be tailored to the individual, especially when it comes to the joints.
But if you have severe obesity, your risk is much higher. So, it’s a good idea to visit a weight loss surgeon to prevent rheumatoid arthritis.
If you have a parent or sibling who has rheumatoid arthritis, you are three to five times more likely to develop the condition than the general population. Having second-degree relatives who have the condition almost doubles your chances of developing it. These graphs demonstrate the crucial impact that genetics plays in the progression of autoimmune disease.
According to a study published in The Lancet in 2016, your hereditary risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis is between 40% and 60%. People with autoimmune diseases are thought to have one or more mutations that alter the way their immune system recognizes and targets disease-causing agents. While the exact genetic permutations have yet to be identified, people with autoimmune diseases are thought to have one or more mutations that alter the way their immune system recognizes and targets disease-causing agents.
Women are two to three times as likely than males to have rheumatoid arthritis. Hormones are thought to have a role in this difference, while the exact cause is unknown.
This is supported by data that shows that women are more likely to develop the condition after significant hormonal changes.This might happen right after a pregnancy or at the beginning of menopause. Estrogen, or more especially, estrogen depletion, is thought to be the culprit.
As a result, estrogen replacement therapy may provide a protective advantage to older women who would otherwise be at risk of developing the condition.
