Scientists at the Cleveland Clinic have found that interactions with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are associated with an increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Research published BMJ.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are chemicals produced when coal, oil, gas, wood, or tobacco are burned or meat and other foods are grilled.
In the new study, the researchers used data from the US National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES) between 2007 and 2016. About 22,000 people participated in the study, and 1.5 thousand of them had rheumatoid arthritis.
The likelihood of rheumatoid arthritis was highest among those with the highest levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the body (blood and urine).
A limitation of the study is that the authors did not consider exposure to heavy metals previously associated with an increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis (cigarettes are the main source of the heavy metal cadmium).