Complex Situations In Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease involving large and small joints resulting in pain, joint destruction, and disability. The disease course of RA is unpredictable with some patients having only mild symptoms while others may experience persistent and acute synovitis leading to severe joint destruction. However, being a systemic disease, it can affect other tissues and organs, causing a wide range of symptoms and complications that although usually not life threatening are the cause of significant morbidity. Knowledge of articular or extra-articular complications may aid in promoting a high index of suspicion and contribute significantly to an early diagnosis and avoid many potentially dangerous conditions.