Rheumatoid arthritis risk 'may be elevated for people in certain jobs'

This study, published in the medical journal Arthritis Research& Care, assessed data from 3,522 Swedish individuals with rheumatoid arthritis and 5,580 control subjects, including information on environmental, genetic and immunological factors between 1996 and 2014. Male workers in the manufacturing sector were shown to have a higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis than those working in professional, administrative and technical roles, with electrical and electronics workers and material handling operators experiencing a twofold increased risk, while bricklayers and concrete workers were three times more likely to develop the disease. Among women, assistant nurses and attendants were shown to have a slightly increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis, while those in the manufacturing sector did not - though this may be to do with the relatively small number of women who work in this sector compared with men. Reasons for these trends It is thought that this could be a result of workplace exposure to environmental factors that trigger autoimmune reactions, including silica, asbestos, organic solvents and motor exhaust. This could show that such factors have just as important a role to play in causing rheumatoid arthritis as better-established influences, such as smoking habits, alcohol use, educational level and body mass index. Study leader Anna Ilar of the Karolinska Institutet said:"Previous studies have not considered these lifestyle-related risk factors to the...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news