Pathogenesis and prevention of rheumatic disease: focus on preclinical RA and SLE.

ABSTRACT: Established and emerging data demonstrate that a 'preclinical' period of disease precedes the onset of clinical rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), as well as other autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs).This preclinical stage of development of disease is characterized by abnormalities in disease-related biomarkers before the onset of the clinically apparent signs and symptoms. Numerous genetic and environmental risk factors for ARDs have also been identified, and many of these factors are likely to act before the clinical appearance of tissue injury to initiate and/or propagate autoimmunity and autoimmune disease. Thus, biomarkers representative of these autoimmune processes could potentially be used in conjunction with other clinical parameters during the prec

SUBMITTER: Deane KD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4090326 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature