Smoking bad for arthritis patients

Cigarette smoking may worsen rheumatoid arthritis in those diagnosed with the inflammatory joint disease. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder, in which the immune system attacks the body's own tissue lining the joints, causing inflammation, pain, stiffness and loss of function.To examine if or not smoking deteriorates the condition of those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, researchers from America identified 300 adult African-Americans with rheumatoid arthritis. The researchers monitored the smoking status and lifestyle factors of the participants. It was found that those who smoked were more likely to have growths under the skin known as nodules, which are often associated with more severe rheumatoid arthritis. Smokers also tended to have higher blood levels of certain rheumatoid factor auto-antibodies - immune system proteins directed at the body's tissue.The above findings suggest that smokers with rheumatoid arthritis might improve their outlook by kicking the habit, but further studies are still needed to confirm this relationship.

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