Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis or RA is a disease affecting about two million
Americans and one of unknown cause. While the disease can be
controlled with modern medications in most cases, it is still a
disabling illness that is expensive in dollars and cents as well as
in human misery. Finding a cause would help in finding ways to
prevent this illness as well as possible cures for RA.
Many factors from heredity to diet to the environment have been
examined as possible causes of RA with no definitive results. We do
know that there is a genetic marker much more common in those who
have RA than in the general population, but not all RA patients have
it and some people who do have it are not ill at all. It may be that
the combination of a gene as well as some other co-factors is needed
to cause rheumatoid arthritis to develop.
This would mean paying closer attention to environmental and
lifestyle issues that could increase or decrease the presence of RA.
Diet has not proven to be a strong positive or negative influence in
most controlled studies, but there is some evidence that a
vegetarian diet may be beneficial for some patients. Moderate
alcohol consumption also seems to be somewhat protective for
avoiding RA but alcohol use may be contraindicated in many patients
who have the disease.
Environmental considerations must also be taken into account in our
polluted modern world and it is here that we find some troubling
information about certain chemicals and the development of RA. The
culprit is a compound called polychlorinated biphenyls and the
cogeners they form in the body. Polychlorinated biphenyls, commonly
called PCBs, are found in many common pesticides and are common
environmental and industrial contaminants and pollutants. Studies
have found a positive correlation with exposure to high levels of
PCBs with increased occurrence of RA, especially from women.
Since RA is an autoimmune illness, this is not surprising since PCBs
are also known to cause autoimmune thyroiditis. It seems that
autoimmune illness increases directly proportionally to the amount
of PCB a person encounters and the compounds have even been found in
joint and other body fluids. Avoiding exposure can only make sense
if one wants to avoid RA and other autoimmune conditions.
While it is plain that PCB exposure is not the only cause of
rheumatoid arthritis, it seems very likely that is involved in the
genesis of at least some of the cases, and other pollutants may also
be identified as co-factors in the development of RA. Avoiding the
use of pesticides and other products containing PCBs and avoiding
work in that industry would likely be highly advisable to those who
are high risk, if not for everyone.
Resources
Article on association of polychlorinated biphenyl exposure and RA
in women
www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/
Condition indistinguishable with RA in PCB
exposure
www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/
US government Environmental Protection Agency
report on PCBs and arthritis
www.epa.gov/
Autoimmune disease from PCB exposure lib.bioinfo.pl/