Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) National Credential Practice Test

Rheumatoid arthritis is the correct answer because it is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease that specifically targets the synovial joints, leading to inflammation, pain, and eventual joint damage. In rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system mistakenly attacks the synovial membrane, which lines the joints, causing swelling and deterioration of joint structures over time. This condition often results in morning stiffness and can also affect other tissues and organs in the body.

Lupus can also cause joint pain and inflammation, but it is a systemic autoimmune disease that affects multiple systems in the body and does not solely focus on joints. Osteoarthritis is primarily a degenerative joint disease resulting from wear and tear rather than inflammation and autoimmune activity. Gout is characterized by sudden attacks of pain due to crystal formation in the joints but does not involve the same chronic inflammatory process seen in rheumatoid arthritis.