What Are The Risk Factors For Rheumatoid Arthritis?
A risk factor is something which increases the likelihood of developing a condition or disease. For example, obesity significantly raises the risk of developing diabetes type 2. Therefore, obesity is a risk factor for diabetes type 2.The following risk factors may raise the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis:
- Gender - according to The Mayo Clinic, USA, the disease is two to three times more common in women than in men. Experts believe this may be due to the effects of estrogen - a female hormone - which might be a factor in the development of the disease. However, this is still a theory.
- Age - although rheumatoid arthritis may develop at any age, it is more like to begin in people aged between 40 and 60 years.
- Genetics - people who have a close family member with rheumatoid arthritis may have a higher risk of developing it themselves. Experts say that the disease itself is not inherited, but rather the predisposition to develop it.
- Smoking - regular smokers have a significantly higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. Smoking makes the outlook for the disease worse.
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