Rheumatoid Arthritis: Etiology, Treatment and Animal Models

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that can cause joint pain and damage throughout your body. About 75% of Rheumatoid arthritis patients are women. In fact, 1 – 3% of women may get rheumatoid arthritis in their lifetime. The disease most often begins between the ages of 30 and 50. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when your immune system attacks the synovium, the lining of the membranes that surround your joints. The resulting inflammation thickens the synovium, which can eventually destroy the cartilage and bone within the joint. The tendons and ligaments that hold the joint together weaken and stretch. Gradually, the joint loses its shape and alignment. It also affects other organs of body like: skin, eyes, heart, kidneys, and lungs.  The main risk factors that cause Rheumatoid arthritis are Age, Gender, Genetics, weight, smoking, diet, etc. Three main ways to treat rheumatoid arthritis are Drugs, physical therapies and surgery. There are four main groups of drugs that are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs  and steroids (also known as corticosteroids). Collagen induced arthritis and Adjuvant arthritis are the most commonly used standard animal models in Rheumatoid arthritis.  This literature review assessed the sign & symptoms, risk factors, etiology, treatment and standard animal models for Rheumatoid arthritis. Keywords: Rheumatoid arthritis, Inflammation, Antirheumatic drugs, Adjuvants, Rat, Mice.