Connecting GERD, rheumatoid arthritis

Investigators have explored the potential causal relationship between gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, and rheumatoid arthritis.

In a study published in Scientific Reports, the investigators examined pooled data from large genome-wide association studies to determine the potential causal relationships between GERD and rheumatoid arthritis.

The investigators found that genetic susceptibility to GERD was associated with an increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. However, a reverse analysis revealed that the risk of GERD was not increased with a genetic predisposition to rheumatoid arthritis. They proposed that the causal effect of GERD on rheumatoid arthritis may be the mucosal origins hypothesis — in which autoimmune responses causing rheumatoid arthritis may be triggered by factors such as microbiome alterations and gastrointestinal and mucosal tissue inflammation.

The investigators concluded that further studies will be needed to elucidate their findings.

Read more: Scientific Reports

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