What condition is characterized by chronic inflammation of the joints?

Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition characterized by chronic inflammation of the joints. This autoimmune disorder leads to the immune system mistakenly attacking the synovium, the lining of the membranes that surround the joints. This persistent inflammation can result in pain, swelling, and eventually joint damage and deformities.

Unlike gout, which is a type of arthritis caused by the accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints, rheumatoid arthritis involves systemic immune responses that affect multiple joints over time. Osteoporosis, on the other hand, is primarily a condition that affects bone density and strength, rather than specifically causing joint inflammation. Tendonitis involves inflammation of the tendons, which connect muscles to bones, but does not systematically affect joints in the same way that rheumatoid arthritis does. Therefore, rheumatoid arthritis is the most appropriate choice for a condition defined by chronic joint inflammation.