Rheumatoid arthritis: smoking increases the risk in case of genetic predisposition
The risk of
rheumatoid arthritis confirmed by the detection in the blood of rheumatoid
factor increases significantly in smokers with a genetic predisposition to
chronic inflammatory arthritis, according to a published in the journal
"Arthritis and Rheumatism" Swedish study
The major
genetic risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis is the presence of the marker
HLA-DR. In addition, smoking is an environmental risk factor for the disease,
remember Dr. Leonid Padyukov the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm (Sweden) and
colleagues.
The researchers
then studied the possible interaction between genetic predisposition and
environmental factors in the onset of rheumatoid arthritis with rheumatoid
factor positive.
In total, 858
patients bearing or non-rheumatoid factor and 1048 persons constituting the
control group participated in this study in which the researchers classified
the cases and controls according to their smoking status and HLA-DRB1.
Holders of
non-smoking susceptibility gene showed a relative risk of rheumatoid arthritis
with positive rheumatoid factor multiplied by 2.8, while smokers have increased
the risk by 2.4 and 7.5 respectively as they were carrying or
non-susceptibility gene.
The risk of
inflammatory arthritis has increased by 15.7 among regular smokers with both
alleles of HLA-DRB1 (homozygous) gene.
SHARE THIS POST
