Case Report of a Patient with an Exacerbation of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Kocur S and Noppenberg M

Published on: 2023-08-22

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic systemic disease of the connective tissue in which the immune system attacks its own cells. The disease affects both the skeletal and articular systems, as well as the nervous and respiratory systems, and the organ of vision. It is manifested by symmetrical inflammation of the joints and other disorders affecting the mentioned systems. Due to the inflammatory process, the joints become deformed, which limits the patient's mobility. For this reason, patients constantly experience pain of varying degrees of severity. Over the long duration of the disease, there are periods of remission and exacerbations. All these problems, accumulating, lead to depression and mood disorders in as many as 65% of patients. The main goal of treatment in this disease is to suppress the clinical activity of the disease, that is, to achieve remission. The disease significantly affects women three times more often than men. The incidence is most common between the ages of 40 and 50.  More than half of people (70%) with RA (rheumatoid arthritis) experience periods of exacerbation and remission. In only 15% of patients, the condition is mild and does not cause significant activity limitation. In as many as 10% of people, the disease does not go away, with remissions occurring for several years during the course of the disease. The following article presents the case of a female patient suffering from rheumatoid arthritis for 15 years. Her disease progresses with periods of exacerbation and remission. The progression of the disease was a risk factor for comorbidities, i.e. diabetes, hypertension, osteopenia or atherosclerosis. The exacerbation of the disease course hindered the patient's daily functioning and contributed to joint pain. The patient also experienced extra-articular symptoms of the disease, such as dry eye syndrome. The consequence of the disease was a limitation of daily functioning, deterioration of general well-being and the onset of depressive symptoms.