Health

World Autoimmune Arthritis Day 2023: Date, History, Facts about Rheumatoid Arthritis

The International Autoimmune Arthritis Movement (I.A.A.M.) created World Autoimmune Arthritis Day on 20 May to promote awareness about autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases that manifest with arthritis. Autoimmune diseases and autoinflammatory conditions are those that cause organ, tissue, or cellular injury due to an overactive immune response. Autoimmune disorders occur when the immune system of the body produces hazardous reactions to multiple factors, causing the body to attack itself. It is estimated that approximately 23.5 million persons worldwide suffer from an autoimmune disorder.

The Background of World Autoimmune Arthritis Day

Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus, and gout are some of the diseases that fall under the umbrella of autoimmune arthritis. There are more than one hundred distinct categories of autoimmune arthritis. Autoimmune arthritis can result in joint, cartilage, and bone injury. Usually, joints are afflicted symmetrically. In other words, if you experience discomfort in one joint, you will likely experience it in the same location on the opposite side of your body.

Rheumatoid, also known as rheumatoid arthritis and rheumatoid disease arthritis, is a chronic condition that causes joint inflammation. The term ‘chronic’ refers to a disease that persists for an extended period of time, typically many years. In the year 1800, a British physician named Dr. Augustus Bozzi Granville published the first article on rheumatoid arthritis. In this article, he outlined the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and identified it as an autoimmune disorder. In 1859, a French physician named Dr. Auguste Jacob Landré-Beauvais provided the first accurate description of rheumatoid arthritis by describing the symptoms in detail and presenting x-rays of affected joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis was not recognised as an autoimmune disorder until 1929. Paul Ehrlich, a German pathologist, coined the term ‘autoimmunity’ to characterise an antibody directed against the host’s tissues. He is credited with developing the concept of autoimmunity. During World War I, it was discovered that tetanus could be cured with serum derived from animals immunised with bacterial toxins.

In 2012, the International Autoimmune Arthritis Movement (I.A.A.M.) spearheaded the establishment of World Autoimmune Arthritis Day, which takes place on 20 May and aims to raise awareness about autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases that manifest as arthritis.

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5 SURPRISING FACTS ABOUT RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

The onset of rheumatoid arthritis can be sudden or spontaneous. Alternately, the condition may persist for an extended period of time.

Rheumatoid arthritis affects approximately 1.3 million individuals in the United States. This represents approximately 0.4% of the population.

Even if your cholesterol level is normal, your blood pressure is low, and you do not have diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis is an independent risk factor for heart attacks.

In rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system assaults the body in error.

Rheumatoid arthritis is more prevalent in women, particularly around menopause age.