What are the types of rheumatic immune diseases?

Rheumatic diseases (rheumatic diseases) is a broad medical category that covers a variety of autoimmune diseases that primarily affect joints, muscles, and connective tissues. These diseases are often characterized by chronic pain, joint swelling, and functional impairment. Common rheumatic immune diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, gout, polymyalgia rheumatica, and giant cell arteritis.

1. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that mainly affects joints, especially those of the hands, wrists and feet. The cause is not completely clear, but it is related to genetic factors, environmental factors and immune system abnormalities. Patients often experience morning stiffness, joint pain, and swelling, which may lead to joint deformity and dysfunction as the disease progresses.

2. Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease involving multiple systems and may affect multiple organs such as skin, joints, kidneys, heart, and brain. Its clinical manifestations are diverse, including butterfly-shaped erythema on the face, joint pain, light sensitivity, fatigue and weakness, etc. The cause is equally complex and related to genetic, hormonal and environmental factors.

3. Ankylosing spondylitis is an inflammatory disease that mainly affects the spine and sacroiliac joints. It usually presents with pain and stiffness in the lower back, especially in the morning or after resting. As the condition progresses, patients may develop spinal fusion, resulting in postural changes and limited mobility.

4. Psoriatic arthritis is a progressive inflammation of joints and where tendons and ligaments attach to bones (tendons). This condition occurs when the immune system becomes overactive for unknown reasons and produces inflammation, causing pain and swelling. Most people who develop psoriatic arthritis already have psoriasis (a skin disease) when they are diagnosed, but a small number of people have joint pain before the rash appears. There is no cure for psoriatic arthritis, but thanks to a better understanding of the disease, treatments can slow its progression, reduce pain, and protect the joints.

5. Gout is mainly caused by abnormal uric acid metabolism leading to hyperuricemia, which then forms uric acid crystals in the joints, causing severe pain and inflammation. Gout is common in the big toe. During the attack, the joint is red, swollen, hot and painful, accompanied by obvious discomfort.

6. Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis: Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis are closely related inflammatory diseases that almost always occur in people over the age of 50. Polymyalgia rheumatica causes pain and stiffness in the muscles of the shoulders, upper arms, hips, and sometimes the neck. Pain and stiffness are often worse in the morning or when there has been a period of inactivity. They can sometimes be very weak and tend to improve with activity.

In addition to the above diseases, there are many other types of rheumatic immune diseases, such as vasculitis, scleroderma, etc. A common feature of these diseases is abnormal activity of the immune system, leading to inflammation and damage to the body's own tissues. Due to the complex causes and diverse clinical manifestations of rheumatic immune diseases, diagnosis and treatment require comprehensive evaluation and management by rheumatology immunologists. Through timely diagnosis and individualized treatment plans, symptoms can be effectively relieved and patients' quality of life improved.

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Reference materials:https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/arthritis-and-rheumatic-diseases