Immunology - Rheumatoid Arthritis Biological & Biomedical Essay

Immunology - Rheumatoid Arthritis
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Immunology - Rheumatoid Arthritis
In the article, the researchers are investigating the influence smoking has on contracting Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) two conditions: Anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA) positive and ACPA negative RA. It looks at the impact of smoking patterns on RA infections.
Background
Environment and genes can activate this condition which affects human immunity. Smoking is the most crucial element in the environment that worsens the risks of RA infection. Chain smokers suffer from an elevated risk of being infected with ACPA positive RA.
Though, insufficient information exists to describe the link between smoking and contracting ACPA negative RA. An area that lacks clarity is the volume of dosage which triggers a body response. So, extensive studies are important to determine the specific smoking habits that lead to infection of RA (Hedström et al., 2018). This research concentrates on RA development within Swedish subjects.
Method
Subjects from 18 years to 70 years took part in the study that focused on Sweden’s south and central regions. Approval by Karolinska Institutet meant that the research met the required ethical principles. It was based on new diagnosis of RA drawn from Sweden’s public and private rheumatology sections. Random selection was conducted using Sweden’s national population register. The research covered a period of about 18 years starting from November 1996 to September 2014 and involved patients who could give a detailed account of their smoking patterns (Hedström et al., 2018). Information was sourced using questionnaires which covered more than 9000 subjects inclusive of controls and cases.
Materials and Tests
The anti-CCP2 tests in blood samples was employed in this study using the help of the
Karolinska Institutet. The technique’s goal is to isolate a form of antibodies called cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) or autoantibodies. CCP antibodies, at times, accidentally attack the healthy cells in body joints, causing infection of RA. The technique is seen as reliable because most people who are infected with RA’s subset have CCP antibodies. So, Anti-CCP2 screening is the most preferred technique for diagnosing RA. It works by collecting blood samples to look for the presence of CCP antibodies. The procedure typically takes less than 5 minutes to conduct. A certain antibody level will reveal whether a person is ACPA positive or negative (Hedström et al., 2018). The results of the procedure will show a rheumatologist if a subject is infected with the condition.
Data collection
Standardized questionnaires were used for data collection. The questions targeted a clear description of a subject’s smoking patterns. It covered crucial data involving the daily consumption of cigarettes by participants. This was necessary to understand the extent of smoking in different subjects. Smokers were grouped into different categories like past, present and non-smokers. This study created an index year that acted as a reference point, which denoted the period a subject began exhibiting RA's early symptoms. It took into account quantity of cigarett...