Researchers from Stavanger University Hospital in Norway found that men with inflammatory joint disease were less likely to remain childless than their healthy peers. results published In Annals of Rheumatic Diseases (ARD).
The study included 10,865 Norwegian men; of these, 37% had rheumatoid arthritis, 33% had psoriatic arthritis, and 30% had spondyloarthritis. The study also included data from 54,325 healthy volunteers.
A total of 111,246 children were born in the total number of subjects between 1967 and August 2021. The average age of fatherhood at the birth of the first child was 27 for men with inflammatory joint disease and 28 for healthy people.
The presence of children and childlessness is divided into three time periods reflecting the main changes in drug treatment of inflammatory joint diseases – 1967-1985 (before the emergence of the anti-inflammatory drug methotrexate), 1986-1999 (widespread use of methotrexate) and 2000-2021 (genetically modified biological drugs emergence and use).
It turned out that a man with any inflammatory joint disease (participated in the study) had an average of 1.8 children. In healthy volunteers, this figure was 1.7. The results also showed that 27% of participants without arthritis were childless. Among people with inflammatory joint diseases, the number of childless men was lower (21%).
The difference (and lack thereof) in the number of children between the two groups was observed in all age groups except those aged 19 and under. These differences continued in all three periods.
Scientists explained that it is impossible to draw clear conclusions about the cause of these results. However, the researchers noted that inflammatory joint diseases may not be the cause of decreased male fertility. If you have problems with reproductive health, it is recommended to consult a doctor on an individual basis to make a specific diagnosis.
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