- rheumatoid arthritis, atrophic arthritis, rheumatism - a chronic autoimmune disease with inflammation of the joints and marked deformities; something (possibly a virus) triggers an attack on the synovium by the immune system, which releases cytokines that stimulate an inflammatory reaction that can lead to the destruction of all components of the joint
--1 is a kind of arthritis; autoimmune disease, autoimmune disorder
--1 has particulars: psoriatic arthritis; Still's disease, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis