A recent meta-analysis estimated the global prevalence of RA to be 0.46%. Genetic, environmental, hormonal, immunologic, and infectious factors may play significant roles. First-degree relatives of individuals with RA have as much as a fourfold higher risk for the disease.
Although both juvenile and elderly-onset forms of RA are recognized, the onset is usually in middle age (40-60 years). The incidence in women is as much as four to five times higher than in men among persons younger than 50 years; however, sex differences diminish in older age groups. Sex hormones may play a role in RA, as evidenced by the disproportionate number of females with this disease, its amelioration during pregnancy, its recurrence in the early postpartum period, and its reduced incidence in women using oral contraceptives.
Read more on the development of RA.
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Cite this: Herbert S. Diamond. Fast Five Quiz: Rheumatoid Arthritis Myths vs Facts - Medscape - Oct 25, 2021.
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