Rheumatoid Arthritis Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Health Effects

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory auto-immune disease characterised by progressive joint destruction resulting from chronic synovial inflammation. It leads to various degrees of disability, and ultimately has a profound impact on the social, economic, psychological, and sexual aspects of the patient's life. This book presents current research from across the globe in the study of rheumatoid arthritis, including the relevance of genetic risk factors in rheumatoid arthritis; cervical reconstruction for cervical disorders in rheumatoid arthritis; sub-clinical atherosclerosis in patients with rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis; and hand involvement and quality of life effects on patients with rheumatoid arthritis.