HCV infection associated with risk of RA in adults: study

Multivariate logistic regression and subgroup analyses were used to assess the relationship between HCV infection and RA risk. Results: In this population-based study involving 5,825 participants aged 18–80 years (including 485 RA patients), we observed a significantly higher prevalence of HCV infection in the RA group compared with non-RA controls. After adjusting for covariates, multivariate logistic regression showed that HCV infection was associated with an increased risk of RA (OR = 1.93; 95%CI = 1.07–3.50, p < 0.05).

This study demonstrates that HCV infection is associated with the risk of RA in adults, underscoring the potential value of HCV screening in RA patients for improved disease management. However, causal interpretation is limited by the cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reported data.