The term "arthritis" means inflammation of the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, is an autoimmune disease that causes pain and inflammation in the lining of the joints and eventually leads to joint destruction and deformation. Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease that affects not only the joints, but also other organs of the body. It comes and goes in flare-ups and early treatment may be helpful in preventing joint destruction, but there is no true cure. There are several kinds of rheumatoid diseases that have similar effects on the body and are caused by autoimmune dysfunction.
Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, or JRA, has all the hallmarks of normal RA but is first noticed in children under the age of 16. JRA is the most common form of arthritis in children, according to the Arthritis Foundation, and can be either mild or destructive. Symptoms include joint stiffness, redness, pain and muscle weakness which can be persistent throughout life. There are three main types of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, according to the Mayo Clinic. Oligoarthritis is a form of JRA that affects four or less joints and can lead to eye inflammation and even blindness. Polyarthritis is the form of JRA that affects five or more joints in the body. Systemic JRA, also known as Still's disease, can cause symptoms throughout the body, such as organ inflammation, rash, fever and swollen lymph nodes, according to the Mayo Clinic. The real cause of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is not understood, but it is known to be an autoimmune disorder.
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis, or AS, is also known as rheumatoid spondylitis. This disease is similar to rheumatoid arthritis and causes joint inflammation, pain and destruction. As with typical rheumatoid arthritis, a cause is unknown but is somehow related to autoimmune dysfunction. According to the Spondylitis Association of America, 95 percent of Caucasians with AS have a genetic marker called HLA-B27, which may be related to the cause of the condition. One of the hallmarks of AS that differentiates it from traditional rheumatoid arthritis is that it begins in the spine and sacroiliac joints. Systemic rheumatoid arthritis usually begins in the small joints of the hand. AS can cause new bone growth to occur in the joints of the spine and sacroiliac joints and cause them to eventually fuse, limiting all motion. There currently are no cures for AS, but treatments attempt to manage symptoms and prevent joint damage.
Lupus
Systemic lupus erythematosus, or lupus, is also a chronic inflammatory condition that causes joint pain and inflammation, but can also cause symptoms in any organ of the body. Some possible complications or symptoms of systemic lupus include skin rashes or lesions, heart and lung dysfunction, kidney involvement and neurological symptoms. According to Merck, most cases of lupus do not cause joint deformation or destruction, but in long-standing cases, bone deformities without erosions are possible. Merck identifies lupus as an autoimmune rheumatic condition.
