Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that wreaks havoc on the joints, causing progressive and destructive polyarthritis. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 18 million people globally live with this condition, with about 1.5 million cases reported in the U.S. Characterized by relentless pain and joint degradation, rheumatoid arthritis typically advances from the smaller, distal joints to larger, proximal ones. Although the exact causes of this debilitating condition remain elusive, we know that it arises from an immune response where the body’s defense system mistakenly attacks its own healthy cells. Notably, patients with rheumat...
