Are you a teetotallers? Then,you are more susceptible to develop rheumatoid arthritis than those who enjoy a few drinks daily,a new study has claimed. Researchers at the University of Sheffield,UK,found that teetotallers are four times more likely to suffer from the debilitating disease compared to those who enjoy a regular tipple. The research,published in the journal Rheumatology,is the first to show a link between the amount of alcohol consumed and the effects of rheumatoid arthritis. For the study,the researchers looked at 873 rheumatoid arthritis patients from the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield,England,and compared them with 1,004 people without the disease. The participants were asked how often they drank alcohol in the month before their inclusion in the study. They also had X-rays and blood tests taken and had their joints examined. Study author Dr James Maxwell,a rheumatologist at the Rotherham Foundation NHS Trust,said: "Patients who had drunk alcohol most frequently had symptoms that were less severe than those who had never drunk alcohol or only drunk it infrequently. "X-rays showed there was less damage to joints,blood tests showed lower levels of inflammation,and there was less joint pain,swelling and disability." The researchers said that there is some evidence to show that alcohol suppresses the activity of the immune system,and that this "may influence the pathways by which rheumatoid arthritis develops". Dr Maxwell added: "We do know that the changes in the immune system that lead to RA happen months and maybe even years before the arthritis actually develops. "Once someone has developed RA,it's possible that the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of alcohol may play a role in reducing the severity of symptoms." The findings supported a 2008 Scandinavian research that showed alcohol consumption reduced the risk of rheumatoid arthritis by 40 to 50 per cent. Dr Maxwell,however,said more research should be done before any recommendations about alcohol consumption could be made to doctors or patients.
