Ask the Arthritis Doctor —
Tuesday, May 19, 2009 - 12 noon (EST)

Osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) both cause joint pain and limit movement. OA results from wear-and-tear of the cartilage cushioning the joints, typically after injury or with advancing age. RA is a less common form of arthritis known as an autoimmune disease. There is no known cause of RA but we do know an over active immune system contributes to the disease. The symptoms of RA vary with the number of joints affected and the severity of disease.

Join us as M. Elaine Husni, MD, MPH, Vice Chair of the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Center in the Orthopaedic ≈ Rheumatologic Institute, discusses the two most common types of arthritis, and their diagnosis, treatment and related problems. Dr. Husni, a member of the Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases, is also an Assistant Professor at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. She trained in Rheumatology at the Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School and completed her internship and residency at the Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital/Harvard Medical School. She received both her MD and MPH degrees at Boston University School of Medicine. Dr. Husni is the recipient of the Clinical Investigator Award from the American College of Rheumatology for her research on health outcomes among patients with rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis, specifically related to cardiovascular disease. She is also involved in many other clinical trials at Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Husni is also on the Medical and Scientific Committee of the Arthritis Foundation, Northeastern Ohio Chapter. She finds mentoring rheumatology and orthopedic research trainees to be one of her most rewarding experiences.