Arthritis and rheumatic diseases

Overview

According to the Arthritis Foundation arthritis is "a complex family of musculoskeletal disorders consisting of more than 100 different diseases or conditions that destroy joints, bones, muscles, cartilage and other connective tissues, hampering or halting physical movement". Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States. It is also one of the most commonly misunderstood ailment. The root cause is unknown for most of these diseases. Currently, there exists no cure.

The Numbers

50 million Americans have an arthritis

2/3 are under the age of 65

300,000 children have arthritis

44 million outpatient visits per year due to arthritis

992,100 hospital visits due to arthritis

By 2030, 67 million Americans will have arthritis

$128 billion/year is spent in the US on arthritis related health care costs

27 million Americans have osteoarthritis

1.3 million Americas have rheumatoid arthritis

2% have fibromyalgia

2% have psoriatic arthritis

Types

Arthritis

Arthritis is defined as and literally means joint inflammation. There are four common types of arthritis: osteo-, rheumatoid, juvenile, and psoriatic.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is caused by the breakdown of cartilage due to weight, injury, age, genetics, and/or muscle weakness. It is the most common form of arthritis afflicting 27 million Americans. It is also one of the few with a known cause, although not preventable if your genetically predisposed.

Symptoms of osteoarthritis include:

joint soreness

joint stiffness

morning stiffness

joint pain

loss of coordination

Osteoarthritis can occur in hips, knees, the lower back, neck and joints of the fingers. The joints can be affected in any combination, on any side, regardless of symmetry.

Osteoarthritis is arguably the easiest of the major arthritis' to diagnose.

Overtime, joints can deteriorate at which point joint replacement may be inevitable. This is made possible by the field of tissue engineering.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the membranes that line the body's joints. Autoimmune diseases are defined as diseases that cause your body to attack itself. As with most autoimmune diseases, RA is most common in women.

Genetic markers have been identified. These markers are used to predict if you may develop RA. Though they can predict the possibility, they do not provide any definitive results. RA is a difficult disease to diagnose. If it is not caught earlier and treatment begun major damage can occur.

Symptoms of RA are intermittent making it hard to diagnose (this is again a result of autoimmune diseases). The most common symptoms of RA include:

joint damage

organ damage

decreased range of motion

warm joints

inflammation and swelling

joint pain (symmetrical)

fatigue

anemia

lose of appetite

low grade fever (a symptom of all rheumatic diseases)

rheumatoid nodules

Rheumatoid arthritis can damage cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. Therefore, replacement options such as ACL replacement are beneficial. RA also leads to joint deformation and patients will require joint replacement options. RA also can lead to major organ damage causing need for heart, lung, and kidney replacements.

Potential for Tissue Engineering

Existing Solutions

Many of these ailments are degenerative, meaning they will destroy joints and/or organs. Therefore, there is an extensive need for solutions that only tissue engineering can provide. The most common engineered solutions are joint replacements. Depending on the condition, the joints requiring replacement can include knees, hips, and shoulders. Treatments such as spinal fusion can also be necessary.

For diseases such as lupus that affect your internal organs, artificial organs are critical. Artificial kidneys, valves, bladder, hearts, lungs all can be used in patients with severe organ degeneration, directly or indirectly, caused by arthritis and rheumatic diseases.