Since Rheumatoid Arthritis is a multi-systemic disease, it can exert its influence on many organs leading to:
- Sjogren's syndrome: It is an autoimmune disease manifesting as extreme dryness of mouth and eyes.
- Lung disease: Rheumatoid arthritis affects lung tissue causing cough and difficulty in breathing. Sometimes it causes inflammation and scarring, leading to development of nodules within the lungs.
- Heart disease: It affects the heart's covering tissue (pericardium) causing pericarditis and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease like heart attacks.
- Kidney disease: A condition called Amyloidosis of kidney can occur as a consequence of Rheumatoid Arthritis.
- Felty syndrome: It is presented by painful and swollen joints along with abnormally enlarged spleen (splenomegaly) and low levels of certain white blood cells (neutropenia)
