Are Men Or Women More Likely To Develop Rheumatoid Arthritis, And Why Is That The Case?

Paula Rackoff, M.D., Assistant Chief, Division of Rheumatology, Beth Israel Medical Center
January 2, 2008

Question: Are men or women more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis, and why is that the case?

Dr. Rackoff answers the question: 'Men, Women & Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk?'

Answer: Actually it's very interesting, more women develop rheumatoid arthritis. The ratio is really about four to one. And it is thought to be related, although it's not completely understood to estrogen levels putting women at risk for rheumatoid arthritis. Having said that, I have many many men in my practice who are real men with rheumatoid arthritis.

ABC News OnCall+ Pain Management Center Home Page

Support Groups & Other Pain Resources

OnCall+ Wellness Center

Next: Is It True That Women Who Breastfeed For At Least A Year Decrease Their Risk Of Developing Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Previous: How Does Age Affect My Risk Of Developing Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Comment & Contribute

Do you have more information about this topic? If so, please click here to contact the editors of ABC News.

Welcome to ABCNews.com.

Javascript is not enabled on your browser. Please enable javascript to use the community features on this page. If your browser does not support javascript, please visit our browser upgrade page for a list of supported web browsers.