From the Guidelines
Rheumatic refers to diseases and conditions that affect the muscles, joints, and connective tissues.
Definition and Scope
- The term "rheumatic" encompasses a broad range of conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and Sjögren’s syndrome, among others 1.
- These conditions are characterized by inflammation and can cause symptoms such as pain, stiffness, and fatigue, which can impact daily life and quality of life 1.
Examples of Rheumatic Conditions
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common rheumatic condition that causes inflammation and pain in the joints 1.
- Psoriatic arthritis is another example of a rheumatic condition that causes inflammation and pain in the joints, as well as skin symptoms such as psoriasis 1.
- Systemic lupus erythematosus is a rheumatic condition that can cause inflammation and damage to various parts of the body, including the joints, skin, and organs 1.
Importance of Lifestyle Modifications
- Lifestyle modifications, such as exercise, diet, and weight management, can play an important role in managing rheumatic conditions and preventing progression of disease 1.
- A healthy, balanced diet and regular physical activity can help reduce symptoms and improve quality of life for people with rheumatic conditions 1.
From the Research
Definition of Rheumatic
- The term "rheumatic" refers to a group of disorders that primarily target the musculoskeletal system, including joints, bones, muscles, and connective tissue 2.
- Rheumatic diseases can be placed along a spectrum of disorders, with autoinflammatory diseases and autoimmune diseases representing the two ends of this spectrum 3.
- These diseases often involve chronic pain, inflammation, and immune system activation, and can include conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and fibromyalgia 3, 4.
Characteristics of Rheumatic Diseases
- Rheumatic diseases are chronic conditions that can affect a substantial number of people and are significantly related to co-morbidity 5.
- They can have components of non-inflammatory pain, and a higher prevalence of fibromyalgia compared to the overall population 4.
- The diagnosis of rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, requires the presence of pain, swelling, and tenderness in the joints, and the presence of rheumatoid factor in the serum is not always a reliable indicator of arthritis 6.
Types of Rheumatic Diseases
- Autoinflammatory diseases, such as monogenic systemic autoinflammatory diseases, which are characterized by the activation of innate immunity and inflammasomes 3.
- Autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid syndrome, which typically involve adaptive immune responses 3.
- "Mixed-pattern" diseases, such as spondyloarthritis and some forms of rheumatoid arthritis, which can exhibit features of both autoinflammation and autoimmunity 3.