Rheumatiod Arthritis : a Review Article

INTRODUCTION Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease of unknown aetiology characterized by a chronic polyarthritis in which the major target tissue is the synovial lining of the joints, bursa and tendons sheath resulting in varying degrees of joint deformities and associated muscle wasting. Despite rheumatoid arthritis is traditionally considered as a systemic, inflammatory, autoimmune disorder but it differs from organ specific autoimmune disease entities in several reports. Enhanced understanding of molecular pathogenesis has enabled development of innovative biological agents that target specific parts of the immune system. These treatments have changed the course and face of rheumatoid arthritis and outcomes for patients and society. New knowledge has emerged of how environmental factors interact with susceptibility genes and the immune system in the pathogenesis of a major subset of rheumatoid arthritis (Klareskog et al, 2009). Considerable advances in recent years in both the clinical and basic research aspects of rheumatoid arthritis have been made. Clinical progress of rheumatoid arthritis has shown considerable development and validation for clinical trials and, consequently, innovative trial designs. In parallel, basic research has provided clues to the pathogenic events underlying rheumatoid arthritis, and advances have facilitated the development of new classes of therapeutics (Josef S et al, 2003).