Resource Hub Try searching our resource hub to find the articles, videos, tools and publications most helpful for you. I am... Employer Health Professional Someone with RASelect topic... About NRAS Apni Jung info for South Asian community Community COVID-19 Diagnosis and Monitoring Diet and Exercise Events Family Planning Fundraising Healthcare professionals Other Conditions Research Self-management Symptoms and Causes Treatment Work and BenefitsSelect resource type... Article Blog Facebook Live NRAS Live Publication Video Clear All Article Felty’s syndrome Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is undoubtedly a disease of the joints. Hence, the word “arthritis” (which means ‘inflammation of the joint’) in its name, but there are variants that have severe manifestations outside of the joints. Thus, patients with active RA may have narrowing of the arteries due to atheroma (a fatty deposit that can build […] Article What is adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD)? Case History Ruth was a 24-year-old postgraduate student who had come from the USA to Oxford to do research. She had been fit and well with no serious childhood illnesses and no family history of any significant diseases. She had participated in sport and enjoyed dance. Ruth woke up one morning with a high temperature, a sore […] Article Getting the most from your initial consultation with your GP Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects more than 450,000 adults in the UK. There is increasing evidence that early introduction of disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) such as methotrexate is effective in reducing rheumatoid activity thus leading to a reduction in joint pain and deformity, long term disability and cardiovascular problems. Such beneficial effects result in an improvement in measures of […] Article Making a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis Sometimes it is clear from symptoms and initial blood tests that someone has rheumatoid arthritis, but not always. Specialist criteria have been developed jointly by American and European experts to try to help make a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis in people presenting with new-onset swollen, painful joints (called synovitis) with no obvious cause (ACR/EULAR 2010 Rheumatoid Arthritis […] Article Understanding your RA blood tests Click below to download or order our ‘Blood Matters’ booklet, for more information on blood tests. Article Seropositive and seronegative Introduction The diagnosis of any disease usually progresses along a well-defined path that has three parts: a history of the complaint, blood tests and, usually, imaging (x-rays or scans). “Seropositive/seronegative” is a term that refers to the results of blood tests. What is seropositive/seronegative? The blood test that is ordered by the doctor in order to help […] Article Rituximab Original Biologic drug Method of administration Rituximab (Mabthera) Infusion (Mabthera is also available by injection) Background Rituximab was originally approved as a cancer treatment in 1998 and is still used for this today. It was approved for use in rheumatoid arthritis in 2006 and has since been approved to treat other rheumatological conditions including systemic […] Article Imaging in RA X-ray Conventional x-rays are cheap and readily available but only show joint damage to bone (erosions) or cartilage (joint space narrowing) at a relatively late stage in the disease. Conventional x-rays are better at showing changes to the bones themselves than to the surrounding soft tissue. X-rays are made up of a type of radiation known […] Article The genetics of rheumatoid arthritis Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is considered to develop as a result of interactions between inherited (genetic) factors and environmental factors (things that we are exposed to in the environment such as cigarette smoking). Recent technological advances have made it possible to examine, in detail, the genetic factors that are associated with RA. To date, researchers […] Load more ↓
Article Felty’s syndrome Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is undoubtedly a disease of the joints. Hence, the word “arthritis” (which means ‘inflammation of the joint’) in its name, but there are variants that have severe manifestations outside of the joints. Thus, patients with active RA may have narrowing of the arteries due to atheroma (a fatty deposit that can build […]
Article What is adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD)? Case History Ruth was a 24-year-old postgraduate student who had come from the USA to Oxford to do research. She had been fit and well with no serious childhood illnesses and no family history of any significant diseases. She had participated in sport and enjoyed dance. Ruth woke up one morning with a high temperature, a sore […]
Article Getting the most from your initial consultation with your GP Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects more than 450,000 adults in the UK. There is increasing evidence that early introduction of disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) such as methotrexate is effective in reducing rheumatoid activity thus leading to a reduction in joint pain and deformity, long term disability and cardiovascular problems. Such beneficial effects result in an improvement in measures of […]
Article Making a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis Sometimes it is clear from symptoms and initial blood tests that someone has rheumatoid arthritis, but not always. Specialist criteria have been developed jointly by American and European experts to try to help make a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis in people presenting with new-onset swollen, painful joints (called synovitis) with no obvious cause (ACR/EULAR 2010 Rheumatoid Arthritis […]
Article Understanding your RA blood tests Click below to download or order our ‘Blood Matters’ booklet, for more information on blood tests.
Article Seropositive and seronegative Introduction The diagnosis of any disease usually progresses along a well-defined path that has three parts: a history of the complaint, blood tests and, usually, imaging (x-rays or scans). “Seropositive/seronegative” is a term that refers to the results of blood tests. What is seropositive/seronegative? The blood test that is ordered by the doctor in order to help […]
Article Rituximab Original Biologic drug Method of administration Rituximab (Mabthera) Infusion (Mabthera is also available by injection) Background Rituximab was originally approved as a cancer treatment in 1998 and is still used for this today. It was approved for use in rheumatoid arthritis in 2006 and has since been approved to treat other rheumatological conditions including systemic […]
Article Imaging in RA X-ray Conventional x-rays are cheap and readily available but only show joint damage to bone (erosions) or cartilage (joint space narrowing) at a relatively late stage in the disease. Conventional x-rays are better at showing changes to the bones themselves than to the surrounding soft tissue. X-rays are made up of a type of radiation known […]
Article The genetics of rheumatoid arthritis Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is considered to develop as a result of interactions between inherited (genetic) factors and environmental factors (things that we are exposed to in the environment such as cigarette smoking). Recent technological advances have made it possible to examine, in detail, the genetic factors that are associated with RA. To date, researchers […]