Exposure to famine in early childhood tied to Rheumatoid Arthritis in Adulthood

It was a retrospective analysis of the Kailuan Study. Researchers included 101,510 participants of the Kailuan Study that joined at baseline (2006). They reviewed medical records to confirm RA cases. They used logistic regression to calculate the famine exposure status (exposed in utero, or between years 0 and 3, years 3 and 6, or at 6 years or older), in comparison to participants born after 1961 (not exposed to famine).

Key findings of the study were:

• During 12 years of follow‐up (2006‐2018), researchers identified 187 RA cases.

• They noted individuals exposed to famine in utero or during years 0‐3, had a higher prevalence of RA, relative to other groups (0.24%‐0.35% vs 0.08‐0.20%).

• After adjusting the potential confounders, they found that the OR of RA was 2.95 for in utero exposed individuals, 4.53 for those exposed in age 0‐3 y, 2.55 for those exposed in age 3‐6 y, and 2.72 for those exposed after age 6 y versus individuals born after 1961.

The authors concluded, "Individuals exposed to famine in utero or early childhood (0‐3 years), were more likely to suffer from RA in adulthood, highlighting the importance of early life as a vulnerable developmental period".

For further information:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/art.41601