Rheumatoid Arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease, it may occur at any age but most often strikes between the ages of 25 and 50, it affects women more than men and Caucasian's more than any other race, it frequently affects the hands, wrist, knees, feet and almost any movable joint. Rheumatoid arthritis is not a fatal disease, except when it is complicated by vasculitis, a dislocation of the neck that can injure the spinal cord. The development of RA is often gradual, condition may begin only in one joint and it frequently fluctuates in severity. In 10-20% of patients, rheumatoid arthritis may disappear completely or almost completely, and in others it may never worsen. Only about 5% to 10% of patients may go on to crippling disease.

Felty's syndrome is a form of rheumatoid arthritis characterized by an enlarged spleen and consequently, a low concentration of white blood cell called neutrophils. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, sometimes called Still's disease, starts before age 16 and may be associated with fever, a rash, inflammation of the eyes, and abnormal bone growth.

Symptoms of RA includes:

• Joint pain
• Joint swelling and morning stiffness that gradually improves throughout the day is a common symptoms. The same joints on both sides of the body are usually affected.
• Fatigue, weakness and sometimes fever.
• Some patients develop painless nodules under the skin, especially over the elbows.
• Occasionally the eyes may become dry or inflamed.

Causes of RA: The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is not known, although some theory suggest that the following maybe the cause:

• Defective immune-system regulation by T cells.
• Hereditary, about 70% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis have the hereditary histocompatibility antigen HLA-DR4, whereas only 28% of the general population have this antigen. However, the risk that a close relative of an arthritic will contract the disease is only slightly higher than for the general population.
• Eventhough some evidence exists that a virus may cause rheumatoid arthritis, the disease is not transmissible from person to person.