Longer Term Breast Feeding Protects Mother From Risk Of Developing Rheumatoid Arthritis

"Longer Term Breast Feeding Protects Mother From Risk Of Developing
Rheumatoid Arthritis", Science Daily, June 16, 2007,
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0615091222.htm

Breast feeding for a period of thirteen months or more has been shown
to reduce the mother's the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis
(RA), according to new research. In the study, the longer the breast
feeding period, the lower the mother's risk of developing RA in later
life. Comparable use of oral contraceptives (OCs) or hormone
replacement therapy (HRT) did not show a significant effect on the
risk of developing RA.

Lead researcher Dr Mitra Keshavarz, of Malmö Hospital University,
Sweden, said of the study, "Whilst other studies suggest that hormonal
factors play a part in the development of RA, and we know that
pregnancy can result in an improvement in RA symptoms, we wanted to
investigate the long term effect of breast-feeding. This study
specifically highlights the potential of naturally-induced hormones in
protecting individuals from developing RA in the future. Furthermore,
it adds to the growing body of evidence in favour of breast feeding
and its positive health implications -- this time demonstrating its
protective benefits for the mother."

The study found that breast feeding for 13 or more months was
associated with a reduced risk of developing RA (odds ratio 0.46;
confidence interval 95% 0.24-0.91). For women with between 1 and 12
months history of breast feeding, the odds ratio was 0.74, with a 95%
confidence interval (0.45-1.20) compared directly to those who had
never breast fed.

The data was taken from a community-based health study incorporating
information from the Swedish National Hospital Discharge and the
National Cause of Death Register between 1991 and 1996, comparing
health information from 136 women who later developed RA with that of
544 controls. Information on the use of OCs, HRT and other lifestyle
factors was derived from a self-administered questionnaire and
analysed by a team from Malmö University Hospital, Sweden.

All females with RA utilised in the case control group of the study
were diagnosed according to the 1987 American College of Rheumatology
(ACR) criteria for RA. Individuals were matched with four female
controls for every case. Controls were identified as those alive and
free from diagnosed RA when the index individual was diagnosed with
RA.

The median age of the onset of RA in the sample population was 63.3
years, with an average length of 5.5 years between enrolment in the
study and onset of RA.

This research was presented at EULAR 2007, the Annual European
Congress of Rheumatology in Barcelona, Spain.

Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by
European League Against Rheumatism.