Sunday, January 20, 2008

Rheumatiod Arthritis and Rheumatic Fever - Comparative Studies















Because my family history sounded a warning I found this information interesting. My mother suffered from Rheumatic Fever and now I have Rheumatoid Arthritis! What is the connection if any?
With Rheumatic Fever the joints are likely to become swollen which can include the knees, ankles, elbows, and wrists. The pain often migrates from one joint to another. However, the greatest danger from the disease is the damage it can do to the heart. In more than half of all cases, rheumatic fever scars the valves of the heart, forcing this vital organ to work harder to pump blood. Over a period of months or even years -- particularly if the disease strikes again -- this damage to the heart can lead to a serious condition known as rheumatic heart disease, which can eventually cause the heart to fail.
Rheumatic fever results from an inflammatory reaction to certain Group A Streptococcus bacteria. The body produces antibodies to fight the bacteria, but instead the "antibodies attack a different target: the body's own tissues." The antibodies begin with the joints and often move on to the heart and surrounding tissues.

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SUBCUTANEOUS NODULES IN RHEUMATIC FEVER AND RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS by M. H. Dawson M.D. from the Department of Medicine of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, and the Arthritis Clinic of the Presbyterian Hospital, New York.
The foregoing comparative study on the subcutaneous nodules in rheumatic fever and rheumatoid arthritis is presented as part of an investigation which has been conducted in this clinic on the relationship of the two clinical entities, rheumatic fever and rheumatoid arthritis. It is believed that the present study has shown that these lesions are highly characteristic of the two diseases and that they represent different phases of the same, fundamental, pathological process. However, it should be pointed out that the presence of closely related or even identical lesions in two, separate, clinical entities cannot be considered as valid evidence in support of the hypothesis that the two diseases are etiologically related. Comparative clinical studies on the relationship of rheumatic fever and rheumatoid arthritis will be presented in a succeeding communication. These studies, as well as serological investigations on the two diseases which have been reported elsewhere, and lend further support to the conception that rheumatic fever and rheumatoid arthritis are intimately related and possibly different responses of affected individuals to the same etiological agent.
Like Rheumatic Fever, RA being a systemic disease affects the whole body. Some researchers suspect that rheumatoid arthritis is triggered by an infection — possibly a virus or bacterium — in people with an inherited susceptibility. Although the disease itself is not inherited, certain genes that create an increased susceptibility are.
Rheumatoid arthritis can show up in organs such as the heart, blood vessels, lungs, and eyes and other organs.
Rheumatoid arthritis works somewhat differently outside the joints, but the results are still damage to the tissues, pain and loss of function.
< Because only a small fraction (fewer than 0.3%) of people with strep ever contract rheumatic fever, medical experts believe that other factors, such as a weakened immune system, must also be involved in the development of the disease.

It's important to learn your family history, it helps each of us to determine what treatment plan is acceptable.

"Good Health to You"

© Copyright 2010 Sandy Guerriere. All Rights Reserved.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I found some interesting information on Rheumatic Fever here. Check it out!

Anonymous said...

Thank you, 'anonymous' and 'hima' for your comments at Rheumatoid Arthirtis Support.
It means so much to me when I get feedback. My hard work and research are validated by your appreciation.
Please return often, I will be posting soon.
Look forward to hearing from you. "Good Health To You"...
As always, Sandy
takecharge4life@aol.com /
www.artistrybysandy.stumbleupon.com

Anonymous said...

You may wish to bookmark my site @
www.rheumatoidarthritissupport.com
Again, 'thank you.' Sandy

Kesav said...

Hi Sandy,
hope the blog is still active.
Its sort of interesting to read ur story. Mine is somewhat similar. My father suffered from rheumatic fever. A few years back, I was diagnosed to have the same. Later another doctor diagnosed it as rheumatoid arthritis. I took medicines for almost two years since then. Nothing happened during this period. now the symptoms are sort of coming back.
And i'm on medicines again.
Hope u r doing fine now. Thanks for sharing ur experience

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the information. I had Echo meningitis when I was 3, then when I was 16 I had Rheumatic fever and was in the hospital for 2 weeks and could not walk for 6 weeks. I always had aches and pains but when I was 35 I was diagnosed with RA. But what I noticed was that the joints that were affected when I had RF were worse with RA compared to my other joints affected with RA. I was on TNF inhibitors for 5 years and ended up with adrenal hyperplasia and early onset of macular degeneration. I have had pneumonia, multiple infections, and a heart murmur. I know that all of these are related. I know that from the time I had meningitis at age 3 to RF at 16 to RA at 35 there is a connection. They have to be. My frustration is that the medical providers just throw drug after drug at you and I think that the treatments for my RA caused my adrenal hyperplasia and macular degeneration.
Best Regards,
Redheadnation

bgwtexas said...

I had Rheumatic Fever as a 3rd grader in 1959. Now no one can agree what type of arthritis I have, rheumatoid or psoriatic. I'm a believer in there is a connection between Rheumatic Fever & Arthritus.

Sprinklergal said...

I too had RF as a child in 1954. I was allergic to penicillin so not sure what they treated me with back then. I was not allowed out of bed for 6 weeks and my Mom was very worried. I did have a heart murmur and had SCD ( was in hospital at the time-or I would not have survived) at age 64 and now have CHF. Another thing I should mention is that I have had some pretty life threatening bouts with polyonephritis. I have always had "bone pains" but they recently got much worse after a serious fall. (Knees now lock or buckle and are not weight bearing) I have the bumps of RA on my fingers, wrists, elbows and also some bumps on my lungs. I think all of this is related. I feel fortunate however that most of my life has been lived already, without serious disability!

bridgie said...

I also had Rheumatic fever as a child (which turned into sydenhams chorea) and now have RA. I am certain there is a connection!