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Atlas of Rheumatoid Arthritis pp 37–68Cite as

Early rheumatoid arthritis

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Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common inflammatory arthritis, with an approximate prevalence of 1 % worldwide [1–3]. It has a female:male ratio of about 3:1 and although age of onset is commonly over 50 years, it may occur at any age [2, 4]. It is a systemic autoimmune disease with predominant joint involvement and typically presents with involvement of the small joints of the hands and feet. Untreated, the disease has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality, with cardiovascular involvement as one of the contributing causes [5–7]. A better understanding of the disease pathogenesis, early diagnosis and treatment, and the availability of targeted therapies have led to improved outcomes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK

    Jackie L. Nam

  2. NIHR Leeds Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK

    Jackie L. Nam

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  1. Jackie L. Nam
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Leeds Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom

    Paul Emery

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Nam, J.L. (2015). Early rheumatoid arthritis. In: Emery, P. (eds) Atlas of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Springer Healthcare, Tarporley. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-907673-91-7_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-907673-91-7_3

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  • Print ISBN: 978-1-907673-90-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-907673-91-7

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