What is AiArthritis?

AiArthritis refers to the type of inflammation-driven arthritis associated with having certain Autoimmune or Autoinflammatory diseases ("AiArthritis Disease"). These diseases are caused by the immune system, which is a network of cells and tissues throughout the body that work to defend us from viruses, bacteria, and infection. In our diseases, immune cells target the body's own healthy tissues by mistake and signals the body to attack them.

While there is no one cause for either autoimmune or autoinflammatory diseases, we do know each originates in a part of the immune system.

• Autoimmune Disease. A group of over 80 diseases caused by reactions of the adaptive immune system, which develops over time. In most cases, these diseases result from a combination of genetic and environmental influences, such as viruses, bacteria, and hormonal triggers, especially in individuals with a genetic predisposition.

• Autoinflammatory Disease. A group of around 2 dozen rare diseases caused by Innate Immune System (inborn) reactions.  While often there is no known cause, genetic mutations are often thought to be responsible.

Combined there are over 100 autoimmune diseases and autoinflammatory diseases, but only a couple dozen include inflammatory arthritis as a major clinical component in most people ("Autoimmune Arthritis" and "Autoinflammatory Arthritis", or AiArthritis).  While the arthritis unites these diseases, because they are autoimmune and autoinflammatory in nature  they affect more than just the joints. The inflammation travels through the bloodstream, so these diseases affect the whole body, including tissues and organs. 

Approximately 300 million people worldwide are diagnosed with at least one AiArthritis disease. However, research suggests that over 50% of patients go undiagnosed or are diagnosed with a "undifferentiated" disease*, increasing this number to an estimated 450 million.

*Regardless if the disease is autoimmune or autoinflammatory, symptoms and disease activity varies per person.

**Undifferentiated diagnoses occur when a person exhibits disease traits of one or more AiArthritis diseases, but no one disease has fully developed enough to meeting diagnostic criteria for any one disease. Our conclusion is based on research conducted in 2013, the Early Symptoms of AiArthritis study, which based our 50% theory on existing research.