Ilar A, et al. – In this population–based study, the physicians examined the association between occupation and the risk of anti–citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) + rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or ACPA– RA. They illustrated that particularly occupations related to potential noxious airborne agents were associated with an increased risk of ACPA+ or ACPA– RA.

Methods

• This study enrolled 3,522 cases and 5,580 controls from the Swedish population–based EIRA case–control study.
• To accumulate information on work history and lifestyle factors, a questionnaire was used.
• For serologic analyse, blood samples were collected.
• To calculate the odds ratio (OR) of RA associated with the last occupation before study inclusion, unconditional logistic regression was used.
• Analyses were conducted with adjustments for known environmental exposures and lifestyle factors, including pack years of cigarette smoking, alcohol use, body mass index (BMI) and education.

Results

• Investigations revealed that among men, bricklayers and concrete workers (OR: 2.9, 95% CI: 1.4–5.7), material handling operators (OR: 2.4, 95% CI: 1.3–4.4) and electrical and electronics workers (OR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.1–3.8), had an increased risk of ACPA+ RA.
• For ACPA– RA, bricklayers and concrete workers (OR: 2.4, 95% CI: 1.0–5.7) and electrical and electronics workers (OR: 2.6, 95% CI: 1.3–5.0) had an increased risk.
• Among women, assistant nurses and attendants had a moderately increased risk of ACPA+ RA (OR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1–1.6).
• No occupations were significantly associated to ACPA– RA among women.