Beyond Inflammation: Scientists Uncover New Cause of Persistent Rheumatoid Arthritis

Mass General Brigham researchers mapped rheumatoid arthritis joint tissue at high resolution.

They found that some patients still show fibrotic, wound-healing activity and disrupted cell signaling even after inflammation drops.

The results suggest persistent symptoms may be driven by scar-forming fibroblasts, not inflammation alone.

That points to a new treatment target for patients who do not respond well to standard anti-inflammatory therapy.