OT: Menopausal Oestrogen Deficiency Linked to RA

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Menopausal Oestrogen Deficiency Linked to Rheumatoid Arthritis

Modern Rheumatology 2001;11:230-233

" Menopausal syndrome in female patients with rheumatoid arthritis "

http://link.springer.de/link/service/journals/10165/bibs/1011003/10110230.htm

Menopausal estrogen deficiency influences symptoms and inflammation in

patients with rheumatoid arthritis. In some cases, estrogen-driven joint

symptoms mimic rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers from the Kyushu i

Hospital and Kyushu University in Japan reviewed five patients with

stage I and monocyclic-type rheumatoid arthritis an average of 5.4 years

following their menopause. The women experienced at least seven

menopausal syndrome symptoms.

In all patients, first joint symptoms coincided with onset of menopause.

The mean age of onset was 51.0 years. The two women who had

gynecologically confirmed menopausal syndrome received hormone

replacement therapy (HRT). This resolved polyarthralgia in one case.

The authors comment that the estrogen deficiency that underlies

menopausal syndrome accounts for all American College of Rheumatology

(ACR) criteria, except subcutaneous nodules. They note that estrogen

regulates production of inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin

(IL) 1, IL-6 and Tumour Necrosis Factor (TNF) alpha. Production of these

cytokines rises as estrogen levels decline.

They conclude that estrogen deficiency at menopause influences both

joint symptoms and inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

In some cases, estrogen deficiency in menopausal syndrome might lead to

joint symptoms similar to those of rheumatoid arthritis, they add.