Ciarettes Smoking Increases Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk In African Americans

Cigarette smoking increases rheumatoid arthritis risk in African-Americans


A new study determined that African Americans who smoke cigarettes have a higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA risk is more pronounced among individuals positive for the HLA-DRB1 shared epitope, a genetic risk factor for RA. Findings from this study -- the largest to date examining the impact of smoking on RA risk in an African American population -- are available in the December issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).

Smoking found to be behind more than a third of severe rheumatoid arthritis cases

Smoking behind more than a third of severe rheumatoid arthritis cases


Smoking accounts for more than a third of cases of the most severe and common form of rheumatoid arthritis, indicates research published online in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.


And it accounts for more than half of cases in people who are genetically susceptible to development of the disease, finds the study.

The researchers base their findings on more than 1,200 people with rheumatoid arthritis and 871 people matched for age and sex, but free of the disease. The patients came from 19 health clinics in south and central Sweden, while their healthy peers were randomly selected from the population register. All the participants were aged between 18 and 70.

They were quizzed about their smoking habits and grouped into three categories, depending on how long they had smoked.

Blood samples were taken to assess all the participants' genetic profile for susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis and to gauge the severity of their disease, as indicated by their antibody levels.

House bill to give seniors $250 is defeated - Social Security News - AARP Bulletin

House bill to give seniors $250 is defeated - Social Security News - AARP Bulletin

By JIM ABRAMS

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 2010 (AP Online delivered by Newstex) -- The House has rejected a Democratic effort to pay Social Security recipients $250 to make up for the lack of a cost-of-living increase for next year.

Democrats argued that the payment was needed to offset the hardships of seniors facing a second consecutive year without an increase.

But Republicans contended that the nation couldn't afford the estimated $14 billion cost of the one-time payment, and that the two-year freeze comes after seniors received a significant boost in 2009.

Dem's Trying To Pass Food Safety Act By Hiding It Inside Appropriations Bill HR 3082

(NaturalNews) In a last-ditch effort to resurrect S.510, the Food Safety Modernization Act, House Democrats are effectively hiding approval of the bill inside another bill -- HR 3082, an appropriations bill meant to fund the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Health freedom attorney Ralph Fucetola has been monitoring this situation closely and warns that the House could "sneak" approval for S.510 through as early as tomorrow (Thursday).

The John Birch Society website reports that HR 3082 is "a complicated affair," encompassing, "...more money for Obama's 'Race to the Top,' for NASA, the Veterans Administration, increased military pay and for military programs that pay compensation for private citizens in Iraq and Afghanistan, for fighting terrorism in Yemen and for helping the Israelis anti-rocket defense shield. plus the funding of many other government agencies and programs."

Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/030661_Food_Safety_HR_3082.html#ixzz17qOPZgMZ