Could Infections Protect Against RA?

A recent history of gastrointestinal or urogenital infection was associated with a decreased risk for developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Swedish researchers reported. For individuals who reported having had gastroenteritis within the previous 2 years, the odds ratio for being diagnosed with RA was 0.71 (95% CI 0.63-0.80) after adjustment for socioeconomic status and smoking, according to Maria E.C. Sandberg, PhD, of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, and colleagues. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Rheumatology/Arthritis/49879?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-02-05&utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=ST&eun=g721819d0r&userid=721819&email=amydugan2%40gmail.com&mu_id=5883165&utm_term=Daily