RESEARCH - RF seropositivity is inversely associated with oral contraceptive use in women without RA

August 21, 2006

Ann Rheum Dis. 2006 Jul 25; [Epub ahead of print]

Rheumatoid factor seropositivity is inversely associated with oral

contraceptive use in women without rheumatoid arthritis.

Bhatia SS, Majka DS, Kittelson JM, Parrish LA, Ferucci ED, Deane KD, Arend

WP, Rewers M, Holers VM, Norris JM.

Dept of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, Univ. of Colorado at Denver and

Health Sciences Center, United States.

OBJECTIVES: To examine whether oral contraceptive (OC) use is associated

with the presence of serum rheumatoid factor (RF) in reproductive age women

without rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: We studied 304 women selected

from parents of children who were at increased risk of developing type 1

diabetes, because they were enriched with the HLA-DR4 allele, a

susceptibility marker for both type 1 diabetes and RA. SUBJECTS:

participated in a clinic visit where blood was drawn for RF testing and

exposure data were collected via questionnaire. A medical history and joint

examination were performed to rule out RA. Subjects and examiners were

unaware of the subject's RF status at the time of exam and questionnaire.

RESULTS: Ever use of OCs was inversely associated with RF positivity

(Adjusted Odds Ratio [OR] 0.20, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.07-0.52)

independent of age, education and smoking. Smoking >20 pack-years was also

associated with RF positivity (Adjusted OR 56.38, 95% CI 4.31-736.98)

compared with never smoking. Smoking 1-19 pack-years was not associated with

a positive RF.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that OC use, and possibly cigarette

smoking, act very early in the development of the immune dysregulation that

occurs in RA.

PMID: 16868018

6868018

Not an MD

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

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