RESEARCH - Environmental influences on risk for RA

[Guest guest]

Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2009 Mar 21.

Environmental influences on risk for rheumatoid arthritis.

Liao KP, Alfredsson L, Karlson EW.

aBrigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA bKarolinska

Institutet, Sweden cStockholm Center for Public Health, Stockholm

County Council, Stockholm, Sweden.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To examine new environmental factors and provide

updates on known risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the

past 2 years (2006-2008). This review is timely given the expanding

information on treatment, pathogenesis and genetic risk factors for

RA.

RECENT FINDINGS: High consumption of red meat does not increase risk

of RA, whereas alcohol intake may be protective. The role of vitamin D

and oral contraceptives as modifiers of disease risk remains

equivocal. Other factors associated with increased risk of RA include

higher birthweight, living in the northeastern United States compared

with other regions of the country, and lower socioeconomic status.

Duration of breastfeeding is inversely associated with RA risk.

Several studies have now demonstrated that anti-citrullinated protein

antibody positive RA has a specific association with environmental

risk factors such as smoking.

SUMMARY: Recent studies have increased our understanding of

environmental exposures that modify risk for RA such as smoking and

alcohol intake. Other factors such as birthweight, breastfeeding,

socioeconomic status and region of birth have also been demonstrated

to contribute to risk. ACPA status is associated with specific

environmental factors and is therefore important to incorporate into

present and future studies.

PMID: 19318947

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19318947

Not an MD