Large Amounts of Coffee Can Speed Up Progression to Rheumatoid Arthritis

The progression of undifferentiated arthritis to rheumatoid arthritis can be fueled by heavy coffee drinking. That was the conclusion of a study involving 280 people with arthritis in at least one joint. The patients were between 18-75 years old and 55% were women. At the study onset, 130 patients had monoarthritis (arthritis in a single joint), 96 had oligoarthritis (inflammation in 4 or fewer joints), and 54 had polyarthritis (inflammation in more than 4 joints). The strongest predictor of rheumatoid arthritis development was a positive test for anti-CCP. Interestingly, drinking 10 or more cups of coffee daily also increased the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.

According to the report in the September 2008 issue of Rheumatology News, coffee serves as an environmental stimuli that acts as a trigger for those who are genetically predisposed to rheumatoid arthritis. A previous study pointed to decaffeinated coffee as a culprit. Some researchers thought exposure to solvents used to extract caffeine may have been the environmental trigger.

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• Rheumatoid Arthritis Screening Quiz
• Test Your Knowledge - Rheumatoid Arthritis
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• Rheumatoid Arthritis Prognosis - How Soon Will Symptoms Worsen?

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