Rheumatoid arthritis can occur even in children.
On Tuesday 12 October, World Rheumatism Day, the RA League calls attention to RA, one of the most important forms of rheumatism. Rheumatoid arthritis is still too often diagnosed too late. ‘The sooner someone gets a diagnosis, the less chance of permanent damage and loss of function,’ says Jeannine Engelen, president of the organization and herself a RA patient.
RA is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in the joints. It often affects the wrists, hands and feet, but in principle the disease can also affect the heart, lungs, skin, eyes and blood vessels. ‘The stereotype of the 50-year-old woman with painful joints still too often dominates our image of RA. Young and old, man and woman, the autoimmune disease can appear in any of us,” says Engelen. “Even children don’t escape the dance.”
Medication can counteract permanent damage from the disease, provided patients receive a timely diagnosis. However, GPs or even specialists don’t always immediately think of RA, says the association. He wants to create more awareness about the disease with a campaign. Symbol is an ‘orange button’.
‘For many RA patients, tying a simple knot is sometimes an almost impossible task. The sooner someone receives a diagnosis, the less chance of permanent damage and loss of function,’ says Engelen. ‘As soon as the first symptoms appear, the clock is ticking’, adds Engelen. ‘It is sometimes said that ‘hurry and haste is rarely good’, but in this case the rule is: the sooner the diagnosis, the better.’
Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common forms of rheumatism, affecting an estimated 1 in 100 people.
Arthritis versus osteoarthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a form of inflammatory rheumatism that originates from the joint membrane. The ending ‘-itis’ always indicates inflammation (appendicitis, sinusitis…). It is a real disease, which is often accompanied by feeling sick and fatigue, such as with the flu, for example. The first signs are usually pain and swelling in some joints of the hands or feet, usually in more than one joint. The pain is especially present in the morning, along with a feeling of stiffness in the joints. Certain abnormalities can be detected in the blood. The inflammatory process mainly takes place inside the joint: for reasons unknown, the immune system makes antibodies against its own tissue. White blood cells pop up in the joints and start a whole chain reaction that results in pain, swelling and eventually deformities.
Rheumatoid arthritis usually starts at a young age, between 25 and 35 years, although the condition can appear at any age. Women are three times more likely to experience it than men. Rheumatoid arthritis can affect other joints in addition to the hands and feet. Typical are the lateral deviations of the fingers that develop after a few years. Treatment with anti-inflammatories or other drugs is necessary to slow down the progression of the disease.
In osteoarthritis, there is no inflammation at all, and there are no abnormalities in the blood count. You don’t feel sick either. Osteoarthritis indicates wear and tear. With age, the articular cartilage wears down. This cartilage fulfills an important mechanical function. Cartilage consists of living cartilage cells that secrete a fibrous raw material. This fibrous network ensures an even distribution of forces on the joint surface and the underlying bone. Cartilage also acts as a shock absorber and suspension. Every one to two years, cartilage cells completely renew the cartilage of a joint. When cartilage is somehow overloaded or when a certain stress acts on it, the renewal accelerates. This is at the expense of the quality of the cartilage, which means that the underlying bone is less well protected. The bone in turn comes under pressure and starts to react: it grows. In the vertebrae, for example, the so-called parrot beaks arise.
The bone changes occur very gradually and do not necessarily lead to complaints. Osteoarthritis mainly affects the spine, hips and knees. Staying fit and active helps to combat arthritic complaints. There is no drug treatment, one can only rely on painkillers, or in severe cases on a joint prosthesis (hip, knee).
Marleen Finoulst
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On Tuesday 12 October, World Rheumatism Day, the RA League draws attention to RA, one of the most important forms of rheumatism. Rheumatoid arthritis is still too often diagnosed too late. ‘The sooner someone receives a diagnosis, the less chance of permanent damage and loss of function,’ says Jeannine Engelen, president of the organization and an RA patient herself. RA is a chronic autoimmune disease in which inflammation occurs in the joints. It often affects the wrists, hands and feet, but in principle the disease can also affect the heart, lungs, skin, eyes and blood vessels. ‘The stereotype of the 50-year-old woman with painful joints still too often dominates our view of RA. Young and old, man and woman, the autoimmune disease can appear in any of us’, says Engelen. ‘Even children don’t escape the dance.’ Medication can counteract permanent damage from the disease, but only if patients receive a diagnosis in time. However, GPs or even specialists don’t always immediately think of RA, says the association. He wants to create more awareness about the disease with a campaign. Symbol is an ‘orange button’. ‘For many RA patients, tying a simple knot is sometimes an almost impossible task. The sooner someone receives a diagnosis, the less chance of permanent damage and loss of function,’ says Engelen. ‘As soon as the first symptoms appear, the clock is ticking’, adds Engelen. “It is sometimes said that ‘hurry and speed is rarely good’, but in this case, the sooner the diagnosis, the better.” Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common forms of rheumatism, affecting an estimated 1 in 100 people.
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