Arthritis 3 Page

What Is A Sedimentation Rate?

A sedimentation rate is a blood test that is commonly performed on patients with RA. This test is also sometimes referred to as a “sed rate” or an erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). The sedimentation rate...

How Accurate Is The Rheumatoid Factor Test?

Rheumatoid arthritis cannot be diagnosed with a blood test alone. The RF test is helpful in making the diagnosis of RA, but it isn't foolproof. Notably, this test produces both falsepositive and false-negative results. Rheumatoid...

What Is Rheumatoid Factor (RF)?

My Doctor Told Me I Had To Get A Test For Rheumatoid Factor. What Is That? The test for rheumatoid factor (RF) is ordered when you have symptoms of RA, such as stiffness in your...

What Is Rituximab?

Rituximab (pronounced “ri-TUX-i-mab”) is an antibody that was originally created in the laboratory. It is designed to interact with B cells, which are a type of white blood cells that play a role in the...

What Are Gold Compounds?

Gold compounds have been used to treat diseases for centuries. The ancient Chinese thought ingesting gold would prolong life and increase vitality. In Europe in the sixteenth century, gold compounds were used to treat epilepsy...

What Are Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors?

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors are a new class of biologic therapies that have changed the face of rheumatology over the past decade. TNF inhibitor therapy can lead to dramatic improvements in RA symptoms and...

What Is Plaquenil?

Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine) is an antimalarial drug that is commonly prescribed to treat RA, systemic lupus erythematosus, and some other rheumatic diseases. This class of medications has a long history. Antimalarial medications that are also useful...

What Is Sulfasalazine?

Sulfasalazine (brand name: Azulfidine) is an effective DMARD that is used in the treatment of RA. This drug is created from the combination of salicylic acid (the active ingredient in aspirin) and sulfapyridine (an antibiotic)....

What Is Leflunomide?

Leflunomide is a new DMARD. It was approved by the FDA as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis in October 1998, and is sold under the name Arava in the United States. This drug has a...

What Is Methotrexate?

Methotrexate is a very commonly prescribed RA medication and is the most popular of the disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). It is also known by its brand name, Rheumatrex (Stada Pharmaceuticals). Methotrexate is classified as an...

What Should I Know About Corticosteroids?

Corticosteroids (or, as they are more commonly known, “steroids”) are a class of medications that are often given to people with inflammatory diseases. These medications are similar to natural hormone substances that are produced by...

What Are Disease-modifying Antirheumatic Drugs?

Signs of RA have been found in the skeletal remains of Stone Age humans, and descriptions of RA have been found in the writings of doctors and healers for thousands of years. The ancient physicians...

What Are Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs?

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are medications that reduce fever, pain, and inflammation. They include a large group of anti-inflammatory agents that work by inhibiting the production of prostaglandins (chemicals in the body that cause inflammation)....

Can Rheumatoid Arthritis Be Put Into Remission?

Remission in a person with RA can be defined as the absence of disease activity, such as swollen joints, pain, and stiffness. In the 1980s, when the authors of this book began practicing medicine, physicians...

Can My Rheumatoid Arthritis Be Treated When I'm Pregnant?

Rheumatoid arthritis does not appear to have any adverse effects on pregnancy outcome. Some medications used to treat RA have not been thoroughly studied in pregnant women, however, and should be used with caution in...

Can Rheumatoid Arthritis Increase My Risk For Infections?

Infections are a frequent complication in people with RA. Their risk for developing lung infections or pneumonia is also increased, which constitutes a serious problem. In medical studies, investigators have found that people with RA...

Rheumatoid Arthritis Are Prone To Heart Disease?

I've heard that people with rheumatoid arthritis are prone to heart disease. Is that true? Yes, patients with RA have an increased risk of developing atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. In particular, RA is associated with...

Can Rheumatoid Arthritis Cause A Low Red Blood Cell Count?

Anemia—an abnormally low number of red blood cells in your bloodstream—is a common complication of RA. Indeed, of all the problems associated with RA that are not related to joints, anemia is the most common....