Study of Some Risk Factors for Developing Rheumatoid Arthritis

Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic autoimmune disease of unknown etiology, .If not managed early , RA can result in irreversible, painful, and disabling joint damage. RA is often diagnosed using predefined criteria that necessitate clinical, laboratory, and radiologic examinations.

The prevalence of RA among adults is approximately 1-2% affecting women two to four times more often than men.Although RA risk increases with age, it can manifest at any stage of life, including childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.(1-4)( Karlson EW, Mandl LA, Hankinson SE, Grodstein F, Karlson EW, Mandl LA, Hankinson SE, Grodstein F., Karlson EW, Mandl LA, Hankinson SE, Grodstein F, Karlson EW, Mandl LA, Hankinson SE, Grodstein F) To date, a limited number of RA risk or protective factors have been identified, with genetic predisposition to autoimmune response (eg, HLA-DR4 gene) and repeated environmental exposures (eg, tobacco smoke) playing a major role.(3)(Karlson EW, Mandl LA, Hankinson SE, Grodstein F) Heritability of RA is well-established because the lifetime risk of RA and related autoimmune diseases (namely, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis, scleroderma, Sjo¨gren's syndrome, and hypothyroidism) increases 1.5 to 3 times in children of women diagnosed with RA.