Occupational textile dust exposure linked to rheumatoid arthritis

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-01/b-otd011216.php

Public Release: 14-Jan-2016
Occupational textile dust exposure linked to rheumatoid arthritis
... and to genetic susceptibility to antibody that hastens disease progression
BMJ

Occupational exposure to textile dust is associated with a more than doubling in the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, finds research published online in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

And it is also linked to a heightened risk of genetic susceptibility to the risk of developing antibodies to rheumatoid arthritis, known as ACPA, which hasten progression of the disease.

This is the first time that such associations have been identified, say the researchers.

The researchers base their findings on 910 Malaysian women who had been diagnosed with early stage rheumatoid arthritis and 910 women of similar age, but free of the disease.

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