Rheumatoid arthritis, commonly referred to as RA, affects about one percent of the world's population. It is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks normal, healthy tissues and cells, releasing enzymes that attack surrounding tissues. RA typically affects the lining of joints, but it can affect the membranes lining blood vessels, heart, and lungs may also become inflamed. Joints and other affected areas become inflamed, swell, and cause pain.         Early in the disease, …showed first 75 words of 555 total…

…showed last 75 words of 555 total…young adults. Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common forms of juvenile arthritis. 1.5 million women have rheumatoid arthritis compared to around 600,000 men.         The long-term prospects of rheumatoid arthritis vary. Statistics indicate that in less than half of all cases, the patient recovers completely after one or more episodes of joint inflammation. About the same number of people remain arthritic. Only about one in ten people who have the disease are severely disabled from it.