Workplace Fumes, Dust Could Raise Odds for Rheumatoid Arthritis

FRIDAY, Dec. 9, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The air where you work could be increasing your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, a new study suggests.

Breathing in the fumes from commercial vapors, gases and solvents -- and even common dusts found in the workplace -- appears to increase chances of the chronic autoimmune joint disorder, researchers reported Dec. 6 in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

Exposure to any of these workplace pollutants is associated with a 25% increased risk of developing a form of rheumatoid arthritis that is made worse by the presence of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA), researchers found.