Women develop rheumatoid arthritis (RA) more often than men, say new data from Sweden.
The rsearch showed the disease goes into remission less often in women as well.

Speakers at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology, held in Amsterdam at the end of June, reported that, although disease activity is similar in both men and women at the start of treatment, women are less likely to go into remission or experience a decrease in symptoms after being treated for the disease.

Hormonal factors and different responses to environmental events that trigger RA were considered the principal reasons for this discrepancy, but more research was called for to determine why the disparity occurs.

The investigators noted that genetic risk factors make some individuals more susceptible to RA, but referred to research later published in the August issue of the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases that indicated that smoking nearly doubled the chance that a woman who does not have genetic risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis will develop the condition.

The Swedish researchers asked their colleagues to practice “reinforced vigilance in the frequency and quality of follow-up in order to achieve optimal suppression of the inflammatory process in all patients, regardless of gender.” (UPI)