By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, May 10, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Toxic chemicals developed from car exhaust, smoking and backyard grilling may increase your risk of developing the autoimmune disease. rheumatoid arthritis, suggests a new study.
These chemicals are called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). They are formed when coal, oil, gas, wood, or tobacco are burned. Grilling meat and other foods also contributes to PAH formation, the researchers said.
“Although further study is needed, the findings suggest that polyaromatic hydrocarbons may be a significant contributor to rheumatoid arthritis,” said lead investigator Chris D’Adamo, director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. . “People at risk for rheumatoid arthritis should use caution around polyaromatic hydrocarbons and consider minimizing modifiable sources of exposure.”
Blood and urine samples from nearly 22,000 adults revealed that those with the highest PAH levels had the highest risk of rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease that primarily affects the joints, causing tissue damage and long-lasting pain. Joints can become misshapen and people with the disease may feel unsteady when walking. Women develop rheumatoid arthritis more often than men. The cause is unknown, but it is thought to be related to genes, gender, and age, and environmental factors, such as smoking, nutrition, and lifestyle.
D’Adamo said this study can’t prove that PAHs cause rheumatoid arthritis, only that there appears to be an association.
“While the findings suggest an important relationship, causality cannot be established in a study like this,” D’Adamo said.
He also noted that the absolute risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis is relatively low because the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis is quite low.
PAHs, however, are abundant in the environment. PAH levels are higher in smokers. Other sources include indoor environments, motor vehicle exhaust, natural gas, smoke from wood or charcoal campfires, fumes from paved roads, and consumption of grilled or charred foods, the authors noted. of the study.
PAH levels may be higher among the poor because poverty is generally accompanied by poorer indoor air quality. In addition, many poor people live in urban areas near major roads or in high-traffic areas and are at higher risk of exposure. Poorer people are also more likely to smoke, researchers have found.
Smoking is a known risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis, and PAH level accounted for about 90 percent of the association between smoking and rheumatoid arthritis, according to the report.
D’Adamo advises limiting exposure to PAHs, if possible. Avoid cigarette smoke, including secondhand and thirdhand smoke, and don’t eat burnt foods, he said.
Marinating grilled foods with spices and herbs reduces the formation of PAHs and other harmful toxic substances, he noted.
“In addition, minimize the use of a wood-burning fireplace and be sure to clean the chimney if there are fires, and limit exposure to areas with high vehicle exhaust where possible,” added D’Adamo.
For the study, the researchers used data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2007 to 2016 on nearly 22,000 adults. More than 1,400 had rheumatoid arthritis.
Blood and urine samples were tested to measure the amount of PAHs and other chemicals in the body.
The odds of developing rheumatoid arthritis were highest among the 25% of people with the highest PAH levels, regardless of whether they were current or former smokers.
After accounting for dietary fiber, physical activity, smoking, income, education, age, gender, and weight, one PAH, namely 1-hydroxynaphthalene, was strongly associated with increased odds (80 %) of developing rheumatoid arthritis.
However, smoking by itself was not associated with an increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis after taking PAH levels into account, the researchers noted.
Dr. Diane Horowitz, director of the Northwell Health Rheumatoid Arthritis Center in Great Neck, N.Y., called the findings “interesting.”
“I don’t think it’s enough to establish causation, but surely it’s enough to establish an association between these chemicals in rheumatoid arthritis,” he said. More research is needed to establish a cause-and-effect relationship, she noted.
The study also can’t say whether exposure to these chemicals worsens rheumatoid arthritis or causes flare-ups, Horowitz said.
Anyone concerned about developing rheumatoid arthritis or people who have the disease might want to avoid exposure to PAHs until more is known about the risk, he added. “There is nothing wrong with trying to avoid these exposures,” she said.
“The other thing that this paper raises, which I think is very important, is the link to smoking,” Horowitz said. “This is just one more reason not to smoke.”
The report was published online on May 9 at BMJ Open.
More information
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about rheumatoid arthritis.
SOURCES: Chris D’Adamo, PhD, director, Center for Integrative Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore; Diane Horowitz, MD, director, Rheumatoid Arthritis Center, Northwell Health, Great Neck, NY; BMJ OpenMay 9, 2023, online
—————————————————-
Source link