This creates inflammation that causes the tissue that lines the inside of joints (the synovium) to thicken, resulting in swelling and pain in and around the joints. The synovium makes a fluid that lubricates joints and helps them move smoothly.

Early in the disease, people with RA may at first not see redness or swelling in the joints, but rather may only experience mild to moderate stiffness, tenderness and pain in some joints. 

The following symptoms are experienced in joints and are clues that RA might be present: Joint pain, tenderness, swelling or stiffness for six weeks or longer; morning stiffness for 30 minutes or longer; more than one joint are usually affected; the smaller joints (wrists, certain joints of the fingers, hands and feet) are often affected first; the same joints on both sides of the body are affected. Along with pain, many people feel tired, have loss of appetite and a low-grade fever. The symptoms and effects of RA may come and go.

A period of high disease activity called a flare – that is when inflammation (red and warm joints) and the other symptoms are prominent.  A flare can last for days or even months. Ongoing high levels of inflammation can cause problems throughout the body. Here of some ways RA can affect organs and body systems:

Eyes - Dryness (scratchy eyes), pain, redness, sensitivity to light and impaired vision;

Mouth - Dryness and gum irritation or infection;

Skin - Rheumatoid nodules – small lumps under the skin over bony areas;

Lungs - Inflammation and scarring that can lead to shortness of breath;

Blood Vessels - Inflammation of blood vessels that can lead to damage in the nerves, skin and other organs because of impaired blood supply (less oxygen to those parts);

Blood – Anemia, lower than normal number of red blood cells.

FARMOVS, an organisation that conducts clinical research in patients has conducted various clinical trials in RA in the past. There are a couple of clinical trials in RA planned for the near future. At this point in time, you can register on FARMOVS’ RA database in order to potentially qualify for these clinical trials should they become available. FARMOVS has a dedicated recruitment department which will have a list of all current as well as future clinical trials and they can be contacted via phone at 051 410 3068/3070 or e-mail study.bloemfontein@farmovs.com. You can also register on the FARMOVS website at www.farmovs.com for studies or to be part of our general data base.

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