RELATED: Rheumatoid Arthritis and You: What RA Can Do to All Parts of the Body
For these reasons, it is important for people with RA to assess their cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking, and reduce them.
RELATED: Protect Your Lung Health When You Have Rheumatoid Arthritis
Over time, RA can cause more than just pain and inflammation in the joints — it can actually deform joints, making it difficult for people to perform normal daily activities.
Blood vessels, where it’s called rheumatoid vasculitis and can cause problems with the skin, nerves, heart, and brainLungs, resulting in rheumatoid lung disease or other conditions, such as pleurisy (swelling and scarring of lung tissue) or pulmonary nodulesEyes, causing Sjögren’s syndrome, which interferes with tears and saliva production; and scleritis, which is marked by eye redness and painHeart, particularly the outer lining of the heart (pericarditis) and heart muscle (myocarditis)Wrists, causing carpal tunnel syndrome, in which pressure on the nerves of the hand results in numbness, tingling, and difficulty using the hands and fingers
Peripheral neuropathy, a dysfunction of nerves that results in nerve pain, numbness, and tingling, particularly in the hands and feetMuscle weaknessAnemia, a decreased red blood cell count that increases fatigue and weaknessVarious skin conditions, such as blisters, rashes, ulcers, lumps under the skinOsteoporosis, or low bone densitySpinal injuries (when neck bones are damaged from inflammation)Periodontal (gum) disease, though some research suggests this disease precedes RA, and other research suggests some cases of RA may be caused by the same bacteria behind gum disease.Kidney impairment caused by RA medicationEnlargement of the spleen (Felty syndrome)Pregnancy complications, such as increased risk of premature delivery
Research presented at the June 2019 Annual European Congress of Rheumatology conference showed a similar link between arthritis and mental health issues. In one study, researchers found that 10 percent of patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases surveyed had suicidal thoughts. Another study found that 25 percent of patients with RA or adult juvenile idiopathic arthritis experienced anxiety or depression.
As is the case with many other RA comorbidities and complications, the increased lymphoma risk is likely the result of uncontrolled RA inflammation, the research suggests.
