Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the most common form of inflammatory joint diseases, is a disease of unknown etiology and affects 1% of the population worldwide and generally involves many joints because of the systemic nature of the disease. The diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is primarily based on clinical symptoms, so it is often difficult to diagnose RA in very early stages of the disease. A disease specific autoantibody that could be used as a serological marker would therefore be very useful. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the first line drugs of choice for the symptomatic treatment of RA. Because of the risks associated with the use of NSAIDs and other limitations, the use of alternative drugs such as corticosteroids, DMARDs and medicinal herbs, is on the rise and according to reports 60–90% of dissatisfied arthritis patients are likely to seek the option of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).