Heavy cigarette smoking is strongly associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), particularly in patients without a family history of RA

Abstract

Objectives-To investigate the potential relation between cumulative exposure to cigarette smoking in patients with or without rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and a positive family history of the disease. Methods-239 outpatient based patients with RA were compared with 239 controls matched for age, sex, and social class. A detailed smoking history was recorded and expressed as pack years smoked. Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate the association between RA and pack years smoked. The patients with RA were also interviewed about a family history of disease and recorded as positive if a first or second degree relative had RA. The smoking history at the time of the study of the patients with RA with or without a family history of the disease was compared directly with that of their respective controls. Patients with RA with or without a family history of the disease were also compared retrospectively for current smoking at the time of disease onset. Results-An increasing association between increased pack years smoked and RA was found. There was a striking association between heavy cigarette smoking and RA. A history for 41-50 pack years smoked was associated with RA (odds ratio (OR) 13.54, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 2.89 to 63.

Smoking and Air Pollution as Pro-Inflammatory Triggers for the Development of Rheumatoid Arthritis

“…The association of smoking with development and severity of RA was documented almost 30 years ago [10] and confirmed in many subsequent studies [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]. A recent dose-response meta-analysis (encompassing 4,552 RA patients) reported relative risks of 1.26 and 1.96 for the associations of RA with smoking histories of 1-10 and >20 pack years respectively [19].…”

Diagnostic value of high-frequency ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in early rheumatoid arthritis

“…Aside from genetic factors, environmental factors are prominent in the development of RA (18). For example, smoking is associated with a substantially increased risk of RA (19), and patients experiencing long-term stress are prone to developing RA (20). The early and accurate diagnosis of RA serves an important role in the assessment of disease progression and the early introduction of effective treatment options (21).…”

Smoking complicates the course of non-infectious uveitis

“…Among the autoimmune diseases, smoking was proven to be associated with an increased risk of Crohn's disease, greater severity of fibromyalgia, and higher risk for extraintestinal manifestations in ulcerative colitis [1][2][3]. Many studies have also focused on the correlation between smoking and rheumatoid arthritis (RA); here, smoking was identified as an important risk factor for the development and severity of RA, particularly in heavy smokers [4][5][6][7][8][9]. As a dose-dependent risk reduction was found in smokers for Parkinson's disease, tobacco smoking may also positively affect the risk and course of autoimmune disease [10][11][12].…”