title: The role of psychological stress in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Psychological stress affects the immune system, and stress is linked to disease onset and exacerbation in the rheumatoid arthritic patient. Stress may precede the onset of disease flare-ups. Adult health and advanced practice nurses should focus on assessing patients for symptoms of stress, identifying methods of coping when faced with stress, and implementing a variety of stress-reduction techniques.
authors.affiliation: Columbia Michael Reese Hospital, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gio-Fitman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D011598:Psychoneuroimmunology; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*