Work-related physical strain as novel risk factor for the severity of joint inflammation at diagnosis of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies–positive rheumatoid arthritis
Main finding · Joint inflammation at RA diagnosis (SJC44 and MRI inflammation score) per increased physical strainResult — go to the resultIncidence rate ratio 1.07 95% CI 1.02–1.12Authors' conclusion
Physical strain is a risk factor for more severe joint inflammation at diagnosis in ACPA-positive, but not in ACPA-negative RA.
Study context
- Population
- Consecutively diagnosed RA patients who reported occupation; physical strain quantified with the International Standard Classification of Occupations 1988
- Participants
- 197 vs 220
- Exposure
- ACPA-positive RA vs ACPA-negative RA
- ACPA-positive RAn = 197
- ACPA-negative RAn = 220
- Outcome
- Severity of joint inflammation at diagnosis: SJC44 and MRI of hands and forefeet (total inflammation, synovitis, tenosynovitis, osteitis, intermetatarsal bursitis)
- Follow-up
- RA diagnosis
Methodological detailsconsecutively diagnosed patients, negative binomial regression
- Consecutively diagnosed patients
- Negative binomial regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Joint inflammation at RA diagnosis (SJC44 and MRI inflammation score) per increased physical strain
Incidence rate ratio
1.07
95% CI 1.02–1.12
ACPA-positive RA: increased physical strain
IRR 1.07 (95% CI 1.02–1.12)
Per increased physical strain, as printed
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Swollen hand joints, ACPA-positive RA · RA diagnosis
| IRR (95% CI) | ||
|---|---|---|
| ACPA-positive RA | 1.07 (1.01–1.13) | |
| 0.512Incidence rate ratio (log scale) |
MRI osteitis score, ACPA-positive RA · RA diagnosis
| IRR (95% CI) | ||
|---|---|---|
| ACPA-positive RA | 1.07 (1.01–1.13) | |
| 0.512Incidence rate ratio (log scale) |
Parts of this Brief are withheld: the automatic checks could not confirm them against the abstract.
Original publication
Work-related physical strain as novel risk factor for the severity of joint inflammation at diagnosis of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies–positive rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 8 January 2026. doi:10.
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