what causes arthritis

What Causes Rheumatoid Arthritis?


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From Yolanda Smith, BPharm

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is believed to be caused by a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental factors. In many cases, presenting people will have a number of these factors that are all likely to contribute to the development of the disease.
Predisposition of Genetic Inheritance

Initially, it was observed that patients with a family history of rheumatoid arthritis were more likely to be affected by the condition, suggesting a familial link.

Since the introduction of more advanced technology, several genes have been identified that are likely associated with an increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. In fact, it is believed that several genetic markers often contribute to each case of the condition.

The HLA-DRB1 gene is the most predominant genetic risk factor for the development of rheumatoid arthritis. There are many variants of the gene and several of these are linked to an increased risk of the disease. Additionally, the protein tyrosine phosphatase 22 gene (PTPN22) is also related to a high risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, although it is unclear how this occurs.

However, it is believed that there are many other genetic markers that have not yet been identified that, with further research, could lead to a more complete understanding of the disease and initiate targeted strategies of prevention and treatment.
Hormonal factors

Rheumatoid arthritis is more common in women than in men and the disease tends to enter remission during pregnancy, suggesting that hormonal factors may play a role in the presentation and regulation of the disease. A hormone that can participate in causing rheumatoid arthritis includes prolactin, which is responsible for milk production and improves inflammation.

Further, the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis in young women who have taken the oral contraceptive pill is approximately half that of those who never took the pill.
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Health States

It has long been believed that some infection was likely to cause rheumatoid arthritis but after much sterile research it appears to be clear that there was no infection or agent causing the disease. However, many presentation cases have recently had an infection of some sort and it is believed that the immune response to various types of infections may result in arthritis symptoms.

In rare cases, immunization can initiate rheumatoid arthritis, which is thought to result from the controlled infection administered via vaccination.

Rheumatoid arthritis is also more common in people who are already affected by an autoimmune disease, which is probably due to similarity in pathology of the conditions.
Smoke

A chronology of smoking is a considerable risk factor for the development of rheumatoid arthritis and can also affect the course or progression of the disease.

Many smokers with rheumatoid arthritis find it difficult to stop while it can help diminish related symptoms, such as joint tenderness and pain. However, patients who continue to smoke are at risk of supplement-joint disease where nodules, lungs or blood vessels may also be affected.
Diet

There is also some evidence that certain foods or diets can impact the chance of being affected by the disease. For example, people with diets that have a high proportion of red meat and low content of vitamin A and vitamin C are at an increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.