Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis

The exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown.


Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, which means the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue.

Age- Rheumatoid arthritis can affect anyone including children (known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis). However, it usually occurs between 30-50 years of age.

Sex- Women are affected more than men in the ratio of 3:1, and it goes into remission when they are pregnant. Symptoms increase after a baby is born.

Tissue type- Tissue type is another underlying factor, in which people with Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) DR4 are 7 times more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than others.

Heredity- Relatives of people with rheumatoid arthritis are more prone to develop the disease than others.

Infections- People affected with infectious diseases like diphtheria, measles etc. have an increased risk of developing the disease.

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