Rheumatoid Arthritis Library
Advertisement
RELATED CONDITIONS
- What Is Osteoarthritis?
- Three Types of Low Back Pain
- Symptoms of Fibromyalgia
- Lupus and Inflammation
- A Guide to Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
- Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
- Glucosamine Fails Arthritis Test
- All-Natural Healing: Glucosamine and Chondroitin
- Ask the Expert: Yoga With Arthritis
- 5 Mistakes Pain Patients Make
WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
Chronic Pain News and Insights
Sign up for a free weekly email with our most up-to-date information.
How common is rheumatoid arthritis?
content provided by
Healthwise
Rheumatoid arthritis affects up to 1% of adults.
- Rheumatoid arthritis affects women two to three times as often as men.1
- Rheumatoid arthritis can begin at any age, but most often begins between the ages of 40 and 60.1
- While rheumatoid arthritis occurs in all racial and ethnic groups, over 5% of certain Native Americans (the Chippewa and Pima Tribes) have the disease.2
It tends to be worse in smokers than in nonsmokers.
The only known risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis is a possible inherited factor in some families (genetic predisposition). A genetic factor may affect how the immune system functions, causing inflammation and eventual destruction of the membranes lining the joints.
References
Citations
Firestein GS (2007). Rheumatoid arthritis. In DC Dale, DD Federman, eds., ACP Medicine, section 15, chap. 2. New York: WebMD.
O'Dell JR (2005). Rheumatoid arthritis: The clinical picture. In WJ Koopman, LW Moreland, eds., Arthritis and Allied Conditions: A Textbook of Rheumatology, 15th ed., vol. 1, pp. 1165–1194. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
Last Updated:
August 18, 2008- Author:
- Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH
- Medical Review:
- Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine
Stanford M. Shoor, MD - Rheumatology
© 1995-2009 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
