The effects of smoking are not as pronounced on RA risk as they are on lung cancer risk. Studies show that smoking is responsible for about 90% of lung cancer cases, but smoking’s effect on RA is similar to its effect on heart disease risk. According to the new study, RA risk is related to how much a person smokes, how long a person smokes, and the presence of certain antibodies in the blood that are associated with RA, namely ACPA antibodies.
New data presented at the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism show that intake of oily fish is associated with a reduced risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA), whereas psychosocial work stress and smoking can increase the risk of developing the condition. The findings, all taken from a large population-based case-control study in Sweden called EIRA (Epidemiological Investigation of Rheumatoid Arthritis), shed light on the important role of environmental and social factors in the development of RA.
For the first time, the intake of oily fish has been demonstrated to have a protective effect against the development of RA, reducing an individual's risk by 20-30%. Interestingly, no significant association with RA risk was observed for consumption of fish oil supplements.
Tobacco smoking is an established risk factor for RA, but the investigators found that there is a dose dependency for the level of smoking (i.e. the number of cigarettes smoked …
Leave a Reply