Heart Attack or Not? Test Might Tell

A Blood Test To Rule Out Heart...More Health HeadlinesAcuFacial: Look Years Younger Without...'Extreme Makeover': Sally Adams Loses 138...Swine Flu Cases SpikeDiscovery May Hold Key for Universal Flu...Bullied 14-Year-Old Girl Gets Plastic SurgeryIn The NewsArthritisAllergiesDr. Richard BesserCold & Flu Home> HealthHeart Attack or Not? New Test Might TellBy DR. SHARI BARNETT, ABC News Medical UnitAug. 13, 2012

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Too Much Bottled Water Might Harm Kids' Teeth

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Early HIV Treatment Might Save Livelihoods as Well as Lives

Scientific American – 7 hrs ago People can work more when their ailments are treated. And HIV is no exception. Adults who tested positive for HIV in Uganda but had a less severe infection were able to work more hours per week, and their kids were more likely to be in school, according to findings presented July 26 at the 2012 International AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C.

If this correlation holds up in further research, more widespread testing and earlier treatment could mean greater earning potential for individuals

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Certain Tick Bites Might Spur Red Meat Allergy

HealthDay – 1 hr 11 mins ago THURSDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- Can a tick bite turn you off red meat for good?

It can if it is the bite of a Lone Star tick, a type that's endemic in the southeastern United States. This phenomenon has been known for a while, but now new research published online July 20 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine reports on three case studies to illustrate exactly how it may occur.

The Lone Star tick injects spit into a person's body when it bites. The body then develops antibodies in response to a carbohydrate called alpha-gal that is present in the spit. This carbohydrate substance is also present in red meat. When the bitten person eats meat again, their immune system goes on the warpath, causing an allergic reaction. This reaction is typically delayed, occurring about three to six hours after eating meat.

The reaction can range in severity from mild hives and itching to full-blown anaphylactic shock, according to Dr. Susan Wolver and Dr. Diane Sun at the Virginia Commonwealth University, in Richmond.

This connection was first discovered somewhat serendipitously by researchers who were trying to determine why a cancer drug called cetuximab (Erbitux) was causing severe allergic reactions in people in the southern states. The sugars in Erbitux are also present in beef, pork and cows' milk.

Calling the phenomenon "the cow's revenge," Dr. Bruce Hirsch, an infectious diseases specialist at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y., said, "Lone Star tick bites may well be turning a portion of people in the southeast into involuntary vegetarians."

Tick bites cause a host of other diseases and infections including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The best thing to do is to avoid ticks altogether, Hirsch said. For starters, avoid wooded and bushy areas with high grass and use insect repellents that contain 20 percent or more DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide) on all exposed skin.

Dr. Bernard Feigenbaum, an allergist at the NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, said that most people think about Lyme disease when they think about ticks and tick bites. "This study shows that there can be other allergic consequences," he said. "If a person discovers having reactions or unusual symptoms after eating meat, follow up with a primary care doctor or an allergist to see what is going on."

If you are allergic to red meat, you will need to avoid beef, pork, lamb, venison and other meat from mammals, said Despina Hyde, a nutritionist at the NYU Langone School of Medicine. "Poultry, fish and chicken are OK."

More information

Learn how to avoid ticks where they lurk at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Yoga Might Help With Stroke Rehab

HealthDay – 1 hr 11 mins ago THURSDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- The ancient practice of yoga might boost stroke survivors' balance and help them become more active, a small new study suggests.

The study included 47 patients -- approximately three-quarters male -- who had suffered a stroke more than six months earlier and were assigned to one of three groups: a twice-weekly yoga group for eight weeks; a "yoga-plus" group that met twice weekly and also included a relaxation recording at least three times a week; and a usual care group.

The yoga classes were taught by a registered yoga therapist and included modified yoga postures, relaxation and meditation. The yoga classes became more challenging each week.

Compared to patients in the usual care group, those in the yoga groups showed significant improvements in their balance, were less afraid of falling and had higher scores for independence and quality of life.

The study was published July 26 in the journal Stroke.

Many stroke survivors encounter long-term balance problems, which are associated with greater disability and an increased risk of falls.

The new findings show that "something like yoga in a group environment is cost effective and appears to improve motor function and balance" for stroke survivors, lead researcher Arlene Schmid said in a journal news release.

Schmid noted that rehabilitation therapy for stroke patients typically ends after six months but brain changes and physical improvements can continue to occur after six months.

"The problem is the health care system is not necessarily willing to pay for that change," said Schmid, who is a rehabilitation research scientist at Roudebush Veterans Administration Medical Center and Indiana University in Indianapolis. "The study demonstrated that with some assistance, even chronic stroke patients with significant paralysis on one side can manage to do modified yoga poses."

Schmid is also an assistant professor of occupational therapy at Indiana University-Purdue University.

One expert who works with stroke patients believes there is a great need for effective rehabilitation strategies.

"Anything that can reduce the risk of falls -- a common sequel of stroke -- is also welcome, as is anything that improves mood and lessens symptoms of depression in the post-stroke patient," said Dr. Roger Bonomo, director of stroke care at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

Yoga, however, "is not going to be available

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Writing Using the Eyes Might Help Paralyzed Communicate

HealthDay – 1 hr 11 mins ago THURSDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- A new technology may enable people who have lost the ability to move their arms or legs to use their eyes to write in cursive, or script.

The technology, which enables people to produce smooth eye movements in desired directions, could be of great benefit to people who have lost limb movement because of diseases such as Lou Gehrig's disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also called ALS) or spinal or other injuries, according to the study published online July 26 in the journal Current Biology.

The "eye-writing" technology might also help improve eye-movement control in people with conditions such as dyslexia or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or in professions that require strong eye focus, such as surgeons and athletes, according to a journal news release.

"Contrary to the current belief, we show that one can gain complete, voluntary control over smooth pursuit eye movements," Jean Lorenceau, of Pierre and Marie Curie University-Paris, said in the news release. "The discovery also provides a tool to use smooth pursuit eye movements as a pencil to draw, write or generate a signature."

The technology uses a visual display to help people learn to develop smooth eye movement. It doesn't take much practice, according to Lorenceau.

"One can also imagine that, in the long term, eye movements can routinely be used in man-machine interactions," he said.

Lorenceau is developing an improved version of the eye writer, and tests with ALS patients should begin next year, according to the release.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more about ALS.

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More Evidence That Shift Work Might Raise Heart Risks

HealthDay – 1 hr 11 mins ago THURSDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- People working evening shifts, irregular shifts, night shifts and rotating shifts are at an increased risk for heart attack and stroke, a large, new review finds.

The best way to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke associated with shift work is to keep the usual risk factors -- such as blood pressure, cholesterol, weight and diabetes -- under control, experts say.

"Given the commonness of shift work in modern industrialized nations, and industrializing nations, many heart attacks and strokes are likely directly attributable to the effects of shift work," said lead researcher Dr. Daniel Hackam, a clinical pharmacologist at the Stroke Prevention and Atherosclerosis Research Centre in London, Ontario, Canada.

Employers and employees must be aware of this problem, as should doctors and others who see shift workers, he said.

"Shift workers should receive cardiovascular risk factor screening and prevention, and this should be ongoing and regular," Hackam added.

Particular attention should be paid to risk factors that may be worsened by shift work, such as blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes, he noted.

"Since we are now in a 24/7 society, this problem is not likely to go away any time soon," Hackam pointed out.

The report was published online July 26 in the BMJ.

To look at the connection between heart attack, stroke and shift work, Hackam's group analyzed 34 studies that included more than 2 million people.

This process of pooling results from different studies is called a meta-analysis, and is used by researchers to uncover patterns that are consistent across a large population.

Among the people in these studies, more than 17,000 had some kind of cardiovascular problem. More than 6,500 had heart attacks and almost 1,900 had strokes, the research showed.

Hackam's team found that shift workers had a nearly 25 percent increased risk of having a cardiovascular problem, a 23 percent increased risk of a heart attack and a 5 percent increased risk of a stroke when compared to non-shift workers.

People working night shifts had the highest risk of a coronary event (41 percent), they added.

Although the increased risks are small, because many people are shift workers the number of people at risk is substantial, the researchers explained.

In Canada, for example, almost 33 percent of workers were shift workers in 2008-2009. In all, during that time, 7 percent of heart attacks, 7 percent of all coronary events and almost 2 percent of strokes could be attributed to shift work, the investigators noted.

While this type of study can show an association between two factors, it does not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, said that "a number of prior studies have suggested that working outside of regular daytime hours may be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events and stroke."

This new study finds shift work is associated with a higher risk of coronary events and stroke, he noted. But an increase in all-cause mortality with shift work was not seen.

"While the increase in cardiovascular risk was modest, with as many as 15 million Americans working full-time on evening shift, night shift or other irregular schedules, these findings may have important public health implications," Fonarow said.

"Individuals with these types of work schedules should recognize the potential increase in risk for cardiovascular events and stroke, and take proactive steps to improve their cardiovascular health," he added.

More information

For more on heart disease, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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YouTube Videos Might Help Ease Form of Vertigo

HealthDay – 1 hr 41 mins ago MONDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- Videos posted on YouTube might come to the rescue of people suffering from a common cause of vertigo, a new study shows.

Vertigo is the sensation that everything around you is moving or spinning, even though you're stationary.

This study looked at benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), an inner ear disorder that is a common cause of this type of dizziness. It often goes untreated by doctors even though it's easily and quickly remedied with a simple technique called the Epley maneuver.

BPPV occurs when loose calcium carbonate crystals move into the sensing tubes of the inner ear. The maneuver uses gravity to move the calcium crystals out of the sensing tube and into another inner chamber of the ear, where they do not cause symptoms.

U.S. researchers found that accurate video demonstrations of the maneuver are readily available on YouTube, according to the study in the July 24 issue of the journal Neurology.

"It was good to see that the video with the most hits was the one developed by the American Academy of Neurology when it published its guideline recommending the use of the Epley maneuver in 2008 and then posted on YouTube by a lay person," study author Dr. Kevin Kerber, of the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor, said in a journal news release.

"But it was also good that the majority of the videos demonstrated the maneuver accurately," he added.

The researchers also found that some comments accompanying the videos show that health care providers are using the videos as a prescribed treatment for BPPV or to help patients learn the Epley maneuver.

"One shortcoming of the videos was that they did not include information on how to diagnose BPPV, and some of the comments indicate that people who do not have BPPV may be trying these maneuvers because of dizziness from other causes," Kerber said. "Despite this, we found it encouraging to think that YouTube could be used to disseminate information about this maneuver and educate more people about how to treat this disorder."

Another expert agreed that a physician's diagnosis is key.

"The Epley Maneuver is, indeed, an effective treatment for BPPV

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Antioxidants Might Help Cut Pancreatic Cancer Risk, Study Suggests

HealthDay – 1 hr 40 mins ago MONDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- Eating a diet high in antioxidants such as selenium and vitamins C and E may reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer by up to two-thirds, a new study suggests.

The study is observational in nature and can only suggest an association, not a cause-and-effect relationship. The British researchers say, however, that if further research confirms a direct link, this type of diet could prevent 8 percent of pancreatic cancer cases.

One expert said there has been much research into the link between diet and cancer.

"Over the years there have been many attempts to find dietary causes for cancer," said Dr. Vincent Vinciguerra, chief of oncology and hematology at North Shore-LIJ's Monter Cancer Center in Lake Success, N.Y. "It is estimated that 35 percent of cancers are related to carcinogens in the diet. Antioxidants have been the subject of numerous trials because in theory they could be instrumental in the prevention of carcinogenesis."

In the new study, researchers led by Dr. Andrew Hart of the University of East Anglia tracked the long-term health of more than 23,500 people, aged 40 to 74, who entered the study between 1993 and 1997. Each participant kept a food diary that detailed the types, amount and method of preparation for every food they ate for seven days.

After 10 years, 49 participants (55 percent of whom were male) had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. By 2010, the number of participants diagnosed with pancreatic cancer increased to 86 (44 percent were men). On average, patients survived six months after diagnosis.

The researchers found that people with the highest dietary intake of selenium were half as likely to develop pancreatic cancer as those with the lowest intake. Those who consumed the highest dietary intake of three antioxidants -- selenium and vitamins C and E -- were 67 percent less likely to develop pancreatic cancer compared to those with the lowest intake.

The study was published online July 23 in the journal Gut.

Previous studies using antioxidant supplements have not produced such encouraging results, but this may be because antioxidants in food behave differently than those in supplements, Hart and colleagues said.

Vinciguerra agreed that the research so far on this issue has been "conflicting."

For example, he said, there was "a recent study

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HPV Might Raise Risk of Form of Skin Cancer

HealthDay – 1 hr 23 mins ago FRIDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News) -- Infection with cutaneous human papillomavirus (HPV) is linked to a type of skin cancer known as squamous cell carcinoma, according to a new study.

Risk factors for squamous cell carcinoma include exposure to the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation, older age, light skin and a suppressed immune system. The international group of researchers found that having antibodies to certain types of cutaneous HPV may be an additional risk factor for this common form of skin cancer.

"Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin is the second most frequently occurring cancer among Caucasians in the United States, and the numbers of cases continue to rise," study author Dana Rollison, vice president and chief health information officer at Moffitt Cancer Center, in Tampa, Fla., said in a Moffitt news release.

Cutaneous (skin) HPV infection is different from the HPV infection associated with cervical cancer, the release pointed out.

The study investigated the links between cutaneous HPV antibodies in the blood and HPV infection in skin tumors.

The researchers tested 159 tissue samples with squamous cell carcinoma for the presence of cutaneous HPV infection. They found the skin cancer was significantly associated with antibodies to three different types of cutaneous HPV.

Additional links were found between antibodies to two other types of cutaneous HPV when compared to blood samples from people without skin cancer, according to the researchers.

Some experts argue that infection with a certain form of cutaneous HPV interferes with the repair of DNA in sun-damaged skin and could predispose people to squamous cell cancer, the release noted.

"We hope that this study, aimed at identifying the role of cutaneous HPV infection in

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HPV Might Raise Risk of Form of Skin Cancer

HealthDay – 1 hr 22 mins ago FRIDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News) -- Infection with cutaneous human papillomavirus (HPV) is linked to a type of skin cancer known as squamous cell carcinoma, according to a new study.

Risk factors for squamous cell carcinoma include exposure to the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation, older age, light skin and a suppressed immune system. The international group of researchers found that having antibodies to certain types of cutaneous HPV may be an additional risk factor for this common form of skin cancer.

"Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin is the second most frequently occurring cancer among Caucasians in the United States, and the numbers of cases continue to rise," study author Dana Rollison, vice president and chief health information officer at Moffitt Cancer Center, in Tampa, Fla., said in a Moffitt news release.

Cutaneous (skin) HPV infection is different from the HPV infection associated with cervical cancer, the release pointed out.

The study investigated the links between cutaneous HPV antibodies in the blood and HPV infection in skin tumors.

The researchers tested 159 tissue samples with squamous cell carcinoma for the presence of cutaneous HPV infection. They found the skin cancer was significantly associated with antibodies to three different types of cutaneous HPV.

Additional links were found between antibodies to two other types of cutaneous HPV when compared to blood samples from people without skin cancer, according to the researchers.

Some experts argue that infection with a certain form of cutaneous HPV interferes with the repair of DNA in sun-damaged skin and could predispose people to squamous cell cancer, the release noted.

"We hope that this study, aimed at identifying the role of cutaneous HPV infection in

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Nutrient Drink Might Boost Memory in Early Alzheimer's: Study

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Smoking Might Raise Your Odds for Skin Cancer

HealthDay – 4 hrs ago MONDAY, June 18 (HealthDay News) -- Smoking has long been tied to a number of cancers, and now another tumor type, skin cancer, may join that list.

A new review of data finds that lighting up may boost the risk of a common type of nonmelanoma skin cancer.

Researchers sifted through the results of 25 studies conducted in 11 countries worldwide. Most of the studies included middle-aged to elderly people.

This "meta-analysis" revealed that smoking was associated with a 52 percent increased risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma skin cancer, according to Jo Leonardi-Bee, of the U.K. Center for Tobacco Control Studies at the University of Nottingham in England, and colleagues.

Squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas -- collectively known as nonmelanoma skin cancer -- account for about 97 percent of all skin cancers. The incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancer is rising worldwide, with about two million to three million new cases each year.

The authors said they found no clear association between smoking and basal cell carcinomas. The findings were published online June 18 in the journal Archives of Dermatology,

"This study highlights the importance for clinicians to actively survey high-risk patients, including current smokers, to identify early skin cancers, since early diagnosis can improve prognosis because early lesions are simpler to treat compared with larger or neglected lesions," the researchers concluded.

This isn't the first time smoking has been link to skin cancer. In December, researchers reporting in the journal Cancer Causes Control said that women diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma were twice as likely to have been smokers than those who were free of the disease.

The study, led by Dana Rollison, an associate member in the Moffitt Cancer Center department of cancer epidemiology, in Tampa, Fla., also found that men who were long-term smokers were at slightly higher risk for basal cell carcinomas.

Speaking at the time, Dr. Jeffrey Dover, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale University Medical School, said the findings weren't surprising because "we know cigarette smoke contains carcinogens" and smokers are "blowing the smoke and ash around their faces all day."

Squamous cell cancer occurs in the epidermis, the top layer of skin, and can spread to other organs. Basal cell skin cancer occurs in the dermis, the skin layer beneath the epidermis. While it does not spread to other organs, it is far more common than squamous cell cancer.

More information

The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about skin cancer.

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Loneliness, Living Alone Might Shorten Life

HealthDay – 4 hrs ago MONDAY, June 18 (HealthDay News) -- They say that one is the loneliest number, but it might also be the deadliest.

Two new studies suggest that living alone or being lonely can raise a person's risk of dying from heart disease or any cause.

In one study, people with heart disease who lived alone were more likely to die than their counterparts who did not. A second report showed that people aged 60 or older were at an increased risk of functional decline and/or death if they felt left out, isolated or reported a lack of companionship. Both studies were released online June 18 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

"Living alone may be a risk factor for a bad outcome," said study author Dr. Deepak Bhatt, director of the integrated cardiovascular intervention program at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. The study only looked at whether the individual lived alone. Researchers did not ask whether this was a choice or if they had lost a partner or had a pet.

But, he said, a person can be lonely and not live alone, and live alone and not be lonely. Still, living alone, regardless of the reason, should be a red flag for doctors to ask more questions.

There are many reasons that living alone or feeling lonely could increase risk for health problems and death. "If you had a heart attack and run out of medication and don't fill your prescription, you will run into trouble," he said. "Spouses and children can run out and get medications for you, and then you are less likely to get into trouble."

What's more, someone who is lonely may be more likely to be depressed, he said. This would make them less likely to take care of themselves, which could increase their risk of dying from any cause. Bottom line is that "doctors should get a good social history," Bhatt said.

In the second report, Dr. Carla Perissinotto, of the University of California, San Francisco, found that loneliness was associated with an increased risk of death during the study's six-year follow-up period. What's more, loneliness was also associated with functional decline.

Taken together, "the studies show that social isolation is associated with cardiovascular mortality in people with heart disease," said Dr. Nieca Goldberg, a clinical associate professor in the department of medicine at the Leon H. Carney Division of Cardiology at NYU Langone Medical Center and medical director at the Joan H. Tisch Center for Women's Health in New York City.

It's all about a patient's support system, she said. Health care providers need to try to identify a support system -- or lack thereof -- before a person with heart disease is released from the hospital. "A support system doesn't have to be an individual, it can be a place of worship or senior's group," Goldberg noted.

While the study uncovered an association between being lonely and an increased risk for health problems and death, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

More Information

Learn about other risks for heart disease at the American Heart Association.

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Sleep Apnea Treatment Might Boost Men's Sex Lives

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Sleep Apnea Treatment Might Boost Men's Sex Lives

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Screening for Lung Cancer Might Benefit Those at Highest Risk

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Pot Might Help Ease Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms

HealthDay – 1 hr 38 mins ago MONDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- Smoking pot can help relieve muscle tightness, called spasticity, and pain in people with multiple sclerosis, a new, small study suggests.

"Spasticity is a major problem

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Gut Bugs Might Influence Child's Odds for Obesity

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Rising Obesity Rates Might Mean More Rheumatoid Arthritis

HealthDay – Fri, May 4, 2012 FRIDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- A new study suggests that severe weight gain might raise the risk for rheumatoid arthritis -- a painful, chronic ailment -- especially among obese women.

The epidemiological research indicated that about half of the increase in rheumatoid arthritis cases in one Minnesota county may be linked to rising obesity rates there over three decades.

"The findings outline yet another disease, or disease group, associated with the current obesity epidemic," said study co-author Dr. Sherine Gabriel. "We are likely to see an increasing incidence of rheumatoid arthritis as a result of the increasing prevalence of obesity if we don't address this health crisis."

Moreover, the research suggested that obesity precedes the onset of rheumatoid arthritis, said Gabriel, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

The impact of obesity on rheumatoid arthritis risk appeared greater for women in the study, which may be due to the fact that women get the disease three times more often than men. Men often develop the condition later in life, according to the Arthritis Foundation.

The study, conducted at the Mayo Clinic from 1985 to 2007, appeared online recently in the journal Arthritis Care & Research.

Rheumatoid arthritis affects about 1.3 million Americans, or 1 percent of the U.S. population, according to Arthritis Foundation figures. The autoimmune disorder attacks joint tissues and sometimes organs, causing swelling, inflammation, fever and fatigue. The condition can develop at any time, but it usually develops between the ages of 30 and 60.

The illness is influenced by both genetics and environmental factors, according to background information in the study.

The new research was focused on Olmsted County, Minn., where records of all medical providers have been collected on every resident in one database for decades, Gabriel said.

Adults who developed rheumatoid arthritis were matched with other people based on age, sex and year of diagnosis. Of the 813 people with the disease and another 813 without it, 68 percent were women and about 30 percent were obese. Their average age was 56.

Researchers reported that during the study the incidence of the disease increased by about nine people per 100,000, and 52 percent of the change was attributable to obesity.

Obesity rates in the United States have risen steadily, from about 10 percent of the population in 1980 to almost 36 percent of adults in 2007, according the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 17 percent of children are obese, the agency's data shows.

Commenting on the new findings, one expert expressed concerns about increasing rates of rheumatoid arthritis fueled by rising obesity rates, but agreed with the study's conclusion that more research was needed because the Minnesota group was not racially diverse. Olmsted County is 90 percent white, according to the study.

"The study was pretty well done," said Dr. Olivia Ghaw, a rheumatologist at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York City. But "the population was limited to one county, so I'm not sure the results can be extrapolated to the entire country."

Ghaw said that because rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease and obesity has been linked to inflammation, a connection between rising rates of both seemed likely.

"The increase in rheumatoid arthritis is troubling," she said. "Obesity confers a greater risk of inflammatory disease" because certain chemicals in fat cells promote inflammation in the body.

Ghaw also cautioned that treating obese patients for rheumatoid arthritis might be more difficult because they may not respond as well to the medications due to "a chronic inflammatory state."

On a positive note, she said the research showed that some patients may be able to prevent the disease by keeping their weight down.

Although the study found an association between obesity rates and rheumatoid arthritis, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

More information

To learn more about rheumatoid arthritis, visit the Arthritis Foundation.

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