[Rheumatoid arthritis: physiopathological currents and therapeutic implications]

ABSTRACT

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory rheumatism responsible for osteoarticular destruction and in some cases it can also affect a wide variety of body systems including skin, eye, lung, heart and kidney. Physiopathology of this disease is better clarified. Indeed, hormonal, genetic and environmental factors are involved in the onset of the disease. All these together activate an innate and adaptive uncontrolled immune response which is characterized by an amplified inflammatory reaction particularly of the synovial membrane, site of immune cell infiltrate and significant neo-vascular proliferation. This auto immune process is responsible for the production and release of cytokines, chemokines and metalloproteases contributing clearly to osteoarticular damage. The result of this knowledge is the development of treatments targeting molecules incriminated in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and blocking the destructive and evolutionary disease mode