Why Map Rheumatoid Arthritis Genes?
When this happens, “it’s going to have a very large impact because we will have a better sense about what is going wrong in the bodies of people with RA,” he says. This is welcome news for the 2.1 million people with RA and those at risk for developing it. An autoimmune disease, RA occurs when the immune system attacks the joints, causing inflammation and chronic pain, loss of function, and eventual disability if left untreated. Understanding the genetic roots of RA will enable doctors to identify people most likely to get the disease — and even treat them — before they have joint pain and other symptoms. And that’s not all. Doctors may one day be able to analyze a person’s genes to figure out which RA drug will work best, eliminating trial and error. Identifying RA’s genes may also lead to newer and more effective targeted treatments.
