Rheumatoid arthritis could be triggered by infections, according to new study

Researchers at the University of Manchester have found suggested that rheumatoid arthritis can be triggered by infections, depending on your genetic makeup.

Some rheumatoid arthritis patients test positive for autoantibodies, while 30 percent remain ‘seronegative’. For the study, the researchers distinguished between the two RA subtypes based on their genetic distinction: seropositive and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis.

The scientists found that different genetic variants of a protein that largely contributes to the immune system’s ability to fight infection are associated with two types of RA.

The research team believe their findings can have important implications on the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Dr. Steve Eyre from the genetics and genomics center in Manchester says, “We recognise that rheumatoid arthritis is a complex disease that can have variable presentation and outcomes for different people, in particular, in the way they respond to treatment. These findings add to our ability to genetically define subtypes of rheumatoid arthritis, which is an important step towards selecting the best treatment for each patient.”

Center director Prof. Jane Worthington added, “Now that we have established a genetic basis for these two types of rheumatoid arthritis, we hope it will lead to patients receiving a swifter, accurate diagnosis and more appropriate, targeted treatment. These findings have opened the door to a better understanding of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis.”

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