How environmental pollutants and genetics work together in rheumatoid arthritis
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It has been known for more than three decades that individuals with a particular version of a gene—human leukocyte antigen (HLA)—have an increased risk for rheumatoid arthritis. Meanwhile, in recent years, there has been a growing interest in the relationship between rheumatoid arthritis and environmental factors, such as cigarette smoking. In smokers who develop rheumatoid arthritis, the disease hits harder. […]
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