Why does chronic inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis exacerbate joint damage despite NSAID treatment?

💡 Explanation

NSAIDs primarily inhibit COX enzymes, reducing prostaglandin production but not affecting other inflammatory cytokines like TNF-α and IL-1, because these are produced through NF-κB-mediated transcription. Therefore, inflammation persists and exacerbates joint damage, rather than being fully resolved as it would be with cytokine-blocking therapies.

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