Nearly 18 million people worldwide live with rheumatoid arthritis, including more than 1.3 million in the United States. The chronic autoimmune disease causes the immune system to mistakenly attack the body’s own joint tissues, and through widespread inflammation, it can also damage major organs.
Rheumatoid arthritis, which has no known cure, is a major contributor to disability among older adults and can shorten life expectancy by six to seven years when inadequately managed. However, arthritis-related disability is largely preventable and treatable when identified early.
