Rheumatoid arthritis in the elderly

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a symmetrical, progressive, and erosive polyarthritis that mainly affects the small joints of the hands, feet, and joints. It manifests as joint pain, swelling, and dysfunction, and the disease is prolonged and repeated. It is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease characterized by joint synovial inflammation. The main pathological changes are chronic inflammation of the synovium of the joint, formation of vasculature, destruction of cartilage and subchondral bone, eventually causing joint deformity and rigidity, and loss of function. Heredity, infection, random factors, sex hormones, environmental factors and their own psychological factors, the deficiency of Chinese medicine, evil invasion, and sputum stasis may all cause this disease.