Could alcohol intake affect the likelihood

of developing rheumatoid arthritis?

Many rheumatoid arthritis patients will be aware that they need to limit their alcohol consumption while on some medications. On methotrexate, for example, patients are advised to stay well within the maximum daily limits for alcohol consumption of 2-3 units for women and 3-4 units for men, and particularly that they should try not to exceed this in one sitting (ie not to have their weekly allowance all on one day).

However, recent research has also shown that alcohol may have an impact on whether or not someone develops inflammatory polyarthritis (ie conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, that affect multiple joints). Though the exact causes of rheumatoid arthritis are unknown, it has already been well established that people who smoke are more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis.

Dr Lahiri presented findings from the EPIC-Norfolk study and the Norfolk Arthritis Register (NOAR) at this year’s annual EULAR conference. One of the difficulties in analysing the results of this study was that people who were considered ‘heavy’ drinkers were also more likely to be smokers. However, even adjusting for this, it was felt that by reducing alcohol intake there could be as much as a 16% reduction in the risks of developing polyarthritis for every unit per day less of alcohol that was consumed, making heavy alcohol consumption a strong risk factor for developing RA.