Vitamin E Supplements NOT associated with reduction in risk of developing RA

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Vitamin E in the primary prevention of rheumatoid arthritis: The women's

health study

www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/121495252/abstract?CRETRY=1 & SRETRY=0

Abstract

Objective

Vitamin E supplements may reduce the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis

(RA) through antioxidant effects. Although previous observational studies

have investigated this question, no randomized trial data are available.

Methods

The Women's Health Study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled

trial designed to evaluate the benefits and risks of low-dose aspirin and

vitamin E in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer

among 39,876 female health professionals age 45 years throughout the US,

conducted between 1992 and 2004. After excluding women with self-reported RA

at baseline, 39,144 women were included in the present study. The primary

end point, definite RA, was confirmed using a connective tissue disease

screening questionnaire, followed by medical record review for American

College of Rheumatology criteria.

Results

During an average followup of 10 years, 106 cases of definite RA occurred,

50 in the vitamin E group and 56 in the placebo group. Sixty-four (60%) RA

cases were rheumatoid factor positive and 42 (40%) were rheumatoid factor

negative. There was no significant association between vitamin E and risk of

definite RA (relative risk [RR] 0.89, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]

0.61-1.31). There were also no significant risk reductions for either

seropositive RA (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.39-1.06) or seronegative RA (RR 1.47, 95%

CI 0.79-2.72).

Conclusion

Six hundred IU of vitamin E supplements taken every other day is not

associated with a significant reduction in the risk of developing RA among

women in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

W. Karlson 1 *, A. Shadick 1, R. Cook 2, E.

Buring 2, I.-min Lee 2

1Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

2Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard School of

Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts

email: W. Karlson (ekarlson@...)

*Correspondence to W. Karlson, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00000479.

Dr. Shadick's work was supported by research grants from Millennium

Pharmaceuticals, Biogen Idec, Dow Corning, Bristol-Meyers Squibb Foundation,

and Amgen Foundation.

Funded by:

NIH; Grant Number: HL-43851, CA-47988, AR-02074, AR-49880, AR-0524