Rheumatoid Arthritis

Description

Alternative Names

Risk Factors

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an ancient disease. The condition has been identified in skeletons thousands of years old. RA affects an estimated 2.1 million Americans, or 1% of the U.S. population.

Age

Although the disease can occur at any age from childhood to old age, it usually starts in young adulthood, with age of onset peaking between 20 and 45. Still, about 50,000 children may be afflicted with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

Gender

Up to three quarters of rheumatoid arthritis sufferers are women. (The risk for women is slightly lower if they have been pregnant.) Women are also at higher risk for the severe type 2 rheumatoid arthritis.

Family History

Some people may inherit genes that make them susceptible to RA, but a family history of RA does not appear to increase an individuals risk.

Other Risk Factors

Other factors may place certain susceptible individuals at higher risk for developing RA:

• Heavy Smoking. Heavy long-term smoking is a very strong risk factor for RA, particularly in patients without a family history of the disease.
• Shorter reproductive life. Women who have a shorter fertility time (and so lower levels of reproductive hormones) may be at higher risk.
• History of blood transfusions.

Of note, most studies are not finding any association between silicone breast implants and rheumatoid arthritis or other autoimmune disease (except possibly Sjgren's syndrome).

The Role of Allergies

Reports from a Dutch study suggest that hay fever sufferers have a reduced risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, and, conversely, arthritis patients are less likely to have hay fever.