(MCQ) Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease of unknown cause characterized by an inflammatory synovitis that is destructive to articular cartilage The incidence of Rheumatoid arthritis increases with advancing age, with peak onset during the fourth and fifth decades. The female-to-male ratio is 2.5:1. Female hormones appear to influence the development of Rheumatoid arthritis RA because there is a decreased incidence with the use of oral contraceptives, an increased risk in nulliparous women, remission of symptoms during pregnancy, and increased onset of the disease around the time of menopause. Arthralgia is a term used for pain in a joint, without any associated signs of inflammation.