Rheumatoid arthritis

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511543579.224

Rheumatoid arthritis

from Medical topics

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 December 2014

Kathleen Mulligan and

Edited by

John Weinman and

Kathleen Mulligan: Affiliation:
University College London
Stanton Newman: Affiliation:
University College London
Susan Ayers: Affiliation:
University of Sussex
Andrew Baum: Affiliation:
University of Pittsburgh
Chris McManus: Affiliation:
St Mary's Hospital Medical School
Stanton Newman: Affiliation:
University College and Middlesex School of Medicine
Kenneth Wallston: Affiliation:
Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
John Weinman: Affiliation:
United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy's and St Thomas's
Robert West: Affiliation:
St George's Hospital Medical School, University of London

Book contents

Get access

Summary

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the synovial tissue surrounding the joints. This inflammation is associated with swelling and pain. As the disease progresses, joint tissue may become permanently damaged. The combined effects of inflammation and joint damage result in progressive disability. The causes of RA are, as yet, unknown but it is generally considered an autoimmune disease, although there is no clear evidence of what factors trigger this destructive response of the body's immune system. The onset of symptoms is gradual and insidious in most instances, although a small proportion of individuals (10–15%) may have a more rapid progression.

Joint pain, swelling and stiffness are the main symptoms of the disease, but individuals also report fatigue and general malaise. Individuals with RA describe their pain as throbbing and burning, but not as scalding, drilling or cutting (Wagstaff et al., 1985). They describe their pain differently from individuals with osteoarthritis; in particular they are likely to refer to ‘heat’ (see ‘Osteoarthritis’). Stiffness has always been harder to define and may be difficult for patients to distinguish from pain, but individuals with RA refer to resistance to movement, limited range and lack of movement (Helliwell & Wright, 1991). Clinically important levels of fatigue have been reported in over 40% of patients (Wolfe et al., 1996). A multidimensional assessment of fatigue in RA found higher levels of general and physical fatigue as opposed to mental fatigue and different aspects of fatigue selectively explained variance in different dimensions of quality of life (Rupp et al., 2004).

Type: Chapter
Information: Cambridge Handbook of Psychology, Health and Medicine , pp. 850 - 852

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511543579.224 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Brekke, M., Hjortdahl, P. & Kvien, T. K. (2001). Self-efficacy and health status in rheumatoid arthritis: a two-year longitudinal observational study. Rheumatology (Oxford), 40, 387–92.Google Scholar

Covic, T., Adamson, B., Spencer, D. & Howe, G. (2003). A biopsychosocial model of pain and depression in rheumatoid arthritis: a 12-month longitudinal study. Rheumatology (Oxford), 42, 1287–94.Google Scholar

DeVellis, B. M. (1993). Depression in rheumatological diseases. In Newman, S. & Shipley, M. (Eds.). Psychological aspects of rheumatic disease Baillière's Clinical Rheumatology (pp. 241–58). London: Baillière-Tindall.

Dickens, C., McGowan, L., Clark-Carter, D. & Creed, F. (2002). Depression in rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review of the literature with meta-analysis. Psychosomatic Medicine, 64, 52–60.Google Scholar

Groarke, A., Curtis, R., Coughlan, R. & Gsel, A. (2004). The role of perceived and actual disease status in adjustment to rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatology (Oxford), 43, 1142–9.Google Scholar

Helliwell, P. S. & Wright, V. (1991). Stiffness – a useful symptom but an elusive quality. Proceedings of the Royal Society, 84, 95–8.Google Scholar

Jamison, M., Neuberger, G. B. & Miller, P. A. (2003). Correlates of falls and fear of falling among adults with rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis and Rheumatism, 49, 673–80.Google Scholar

Keefe, F. J. & Caldwell, D. S. (1997). Cognitive behavioral control of arthritis pain. Medical Clinics of North America, 81, 277–90.Google Scholar

Lefebvre, J. C., Keefe, F. J., Affleck, G.et al. (1999). The relationship of arthritis self-efficacy to daily pain, daily mood, and daily pain coping in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Pain, 80, 425–35.Google Scholar

Lorig, K. (1986). Development and dissemination of an arthritis patient education course. Family & Community Health, 9, 23–32.Google Scholar

Lorig, K., Chastain, R. L., Ung, E., Shoor, S. & Holman, H. R. (1989). Development and evaluation of a scale to measure perceived self-efficacy in people with arthritis. Arthritis and Rheumatism, 32, 37–44.Google Scholar

Newman, S., Mulligan, K. & Steed, L. (2001). What is meant by self-management and how can its efficacy be established?Rheumatology (Oxford), 40, 1–4.Google Scholar

Newman, S. & Revenson, T. A. (1993). Coping with rheumatoid arthritis. In Newman, S. & Shipley, M. (Eds.). Psychological aspects of rheumatic disease Baillière's Clinical Rheumatology (pp. 259–80). London: Baillière-Tindall.

Newman, S., Steed, L. & Mulligan, K. (2004). Self-management interventions for chronic illness, The Lancet, 364, 1523–37.Google Scholar

Picavet, H. S. & Hoeymans, N. (2004). Health related quality of life in multiple musculoskeletal diseases: SF-36 and EQ-5D in the DMC3 study. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 63, 723–9.Google Scholar

Rhee, S. H., Parker, J. C., Smarr, K. L.et al. (2000). Stress management in rheumatoid arthritis: what is the underlying mechanism?Arthritis Care and Research, 13, 435–42.Google Scholar

Riemsma, R. P., Taal, E., Kirwan, J. R. & Rasker, J. J. (2002). Patient education programmes for adults with rheumatoid arthritis. British Medical Journal, 325, 559.Google Scholar

Rupp, I., Boshuizen, H. C., Jacobi, C. E., Dinant, H. J. & Bos, G. A. M. (2004). Impact of fatigue on health-related quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Care and Research, 51, 578–85.Google Scholar

Scharloo, M., Kaptein, A. A., Weinman, J.et al. (1998). Illness perceptions, coping and functioning in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and psoriasis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 44, 573–85.Google Scholar

Smarr, K. L., Parker, J. C., Wright, G. E.et al. (1997). The importance of enhancing self-efficacy in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Care and Research, 10, 18–26.Google Scholar

Smith, C. A., Wallston, K. A., Dwyer, K. A. & Dowdy, S. W. (1997). Beyond good and bad coping: a multidimensional examination of coping with pain in persons with rheumatoid arthritis. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 19, 11–21.Google Scholar

Treharne, G. J., Lyons, A. C., Booth, D. A.Mason, S. R. & Kitas, G. D. (2004). Reactions to disability in patients with early versus established rheumatoid arthritis. Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology, 33, 30–8.Google Scholar

Dyke, M. M., Parker, J. C., Smarr, K. L.et al. (2004). Anxiety in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis and Rheumatism, 51, 408–12.Google Scholar

Wagstaff, S., Smith, O. V. & Wood, P. H. N. (1985). Verbal pain descriptors used by patients with arthritis. Annals of Rheumatic Disease, 44, 262–5.Google Scholar

Wolfe, F., Hawley, D. J. & Wilson, K. (1996). The prevalence and meaning of fatigue in rheumatic disease. The Journal of Rheumatology., 23, 1407–17.Google Scholar

Wolfe, F. & Hawley, D. J. (1998). The longterm outcomes of rheumatoid arthritis: work disability: a prospective 18 year study of 823 patients. The Journal of Rheumatology, 25, 2108–17.Google Scholar

Book contents

Rheumatoid arthritis

Summary

Access options

References

Save book to Kindle

Save book to Dropbox

Save book to Google Drive