Being a systemic and relapsing disease in acute painful manifestations, the inflammation can worsen and involve not only the joints (the most affected are the hands, feet, wrists and elbows), but also many organs of the body, for example the heart, lungs, system nervous system, blood vessels, eyes and kidneys.
The prognosis of the disease has greatly improved since the 1980s, but enormous progress has been made in the past 20 years. We have gone from symptomatic relief to slowing down, or preventing further damage, to achieving total remission. About 300 thousand Italians suffer from it, it is two to three times more frequent in women than in men. Every year 5 thousand new cases are recorded. The disease can occur at any age, more commonly between 40 and 70 years, although the peak of onset of the first symptoms occur between the ages of 35 and 45.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms
From the very beginning, the disease manifests itself in a subtle, gradual or acute, relapsing way. The most common symptoms, most persistent in women, are: pain and swelling initially in the joints of the hands and feet, sensation of heat, stiffness upon awakening, difficulty in moving.
At its onset, rheumatoid arthritis tends to predominantly affect small joints, such as those in the wrists, hands, feet, and ankles, but can extend over time to the shoulders, elbows, knees, hips and jaw.
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