Common rheumatoid arthritis risk factors 'also affect those of African descent'
Genetic and environmental factors associated with rheumatoid arthritis in people from European and Asian backgrounds also apply to people of African ancestry.
This is according to a new Arthritis Research UK-funded study led by King's College London, which offers evidence of a shared genetic and environmental underpinning for the disease that is consistent across European, Asian and African ancestry populations.
Assessing risk factors among a black British population
The study, published in the medical journal Rheumatology, looked at data from 197 people with rheumatoid arthritis and 868 controls in south London, all of whom were of African ancestry, whether they were of black African, black Caribbean or black British ethnicity.
Smoking and alcohol consumption data at the point of diagnosis was assessed, while genetic data was analysed according to known rheumatoid arthritis susceptibility factors affecting European and Asian populations.
It was found that all known susceptibility trends for the disease also affected those of African ancestry, with similar genetic risk scores and consistent associations between smoking/drinking habits and the prevalence of disease.
The need for more universal research insights
This is the first analysis of these associations specifically targeting UK-based African ancestry individuals, which is an important issue as few ethnic minority patients usually participate in this kind of research.
Lead author Dr Ian Scott said: "The GENRA study suggests that risk factors for the development of rheumatoid arthritis are similar across ethnic groups. Greater efforts are needed to include people from ethnic minorities in research. This will ensure that any potential clinical benefits from research are relevant to people from all ethnic groups."
Arthritis Research UK's view
Dr Natalie Carter, head of research liaison and evaluation at Arthritis Research UK, said: "Rheumatoid arthritis affects around 400,000 people in the UK. We don't yet know exactly what sets off the inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis. Understanding the risk factors involved in developing the condition are key in helping us to find the treatments and information that let people push back the limits it causes."