rheumatoid arthritis
n 1: a chronic autoimmune disease with inflammation of the
joints and marked deformities; something (possibly a virus)
triggers an attack on the synovium by the immune system,
which releases cytokines that stimulate an inflammatory
reaction that can lead to the destruction of all components
of the joint [syn: {rheumatoid arthritis}, {atrophic
arthritis}, {rheumatism}]
Arthritis \Ar*thri"tis\ ([aum]r*thr[imac]"t[i^]s), n. [L., fr.
Gr. 'arqri^tis (as if fem. of 'arqri`tis belonging to the
joints, sc. no`sos disease) gout, fr. 'a`rqron a joint.]
(Med.)
Any inflammation of the joints, including the gout. A variety
of forms of arthritis are recognized, some of which (such as
{rheumatoid arthritis}, also called {arthritis deformans} and
{arthritis nodosa}) are chronic and progressive, and lead to
incapacitation and deformity.
[1913 Webster +PJC]