Disease Etiology
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks the body joints (primarily the synovial joints, including the small joints of the hands and the feet), leading to pain, inflammation and joint damage (1,2). RA can also affect other organs including the eyes, heart and lungs (3). Most individuals with RA experience a chronic fluctuating course of disease that may result in progressive damage to joints, leading to deformity and