scholarly journals The American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism criteria for the classification of rheumatoid arthritis: A game changer

2010 ◽  
Vol 62 (9) ◽  
pp. 2592-2594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stanley Cohen ◽  
Paul Emery
Keyword(s):  
Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽  
American College Of Rheumatology ◽  
European League Against Rheumatism ◽  
European League ◽  
Game Changer

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Etiology and Pathogenesis

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary S. Firestein ◽  
Anna-Karin H. Ekwall
Keyword(s):  
Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽  
Intracellular Signaling ◽  
Cartilage Damage ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
American College Of Rheumatology ◽  
European League Against Rheumatism ◽  
Citrullinated Proteins ◽  
Definition Of

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is among the most common forms of chronic inflammatory arthritis. It affects approximately 1% of adults and is two to three times more prevalent in women than in men. There are no specific laboratory tests for RA; diagnosis depends on a constellation of signs and symptoms that can be supported by serology and radiographs. The disease evolves over many years as a consequence of repeated environmental stress causing inflammation and immune activation followed by a breakdown of tolerance in individuals with a specific genetic background. This review describes the definition of RA; its etiology, including genetics, infections, the role of smoking and citrullination of proteins, and epigenetic mechanisms; and its pathogenesis, including synovial histopathology, bone and cartilage damage, adaptive and innate immunity, and the role of cytokines and intracellular signaling. Tables include the 1987 American Rheumatism Association criteria for the classification of RA and the 2010 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism classification for RA. Figures show citrullinated proteins in airway cells, a section of a proliferative synovium from a patient with a classic RA, and scalloped regions of erosion at the junction between a proliferative inflamed rheumatoid synovium and the bone. This review contains 3 highly rendered figures, 2 tables, and 71 references.

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