Oral contraceptives, cigarette smoking and other factors in relation to arthritis

Abstract

The data on oral contraceptive use and arthritis in the Oxford Family Planning Association contraceptive study have been analysed. For rheumatoid arthritis, the rate of first referral to hospital was 0.33 per 1000 woman-years in those who never used oral contraceptives (27 cases), 0.33 per 1000 woman-years in ex-users of oral contraceptives (29 cases) and 0.44 per 1000 woman-years in current users of oral contraceptives (22 cases). Likewise, there was no important association between oral contraceptive use and other forms of arthritis. An unexpected finding was a strong association between referral to hospital for rheumatoid arthritis and cigarette smoking; the rate in women never smoking was 0.27 per 1000 woman-years (34 cases) and in those smoking 15 or more cigarettes per day was 0.64 per 1000 woman-years (19 cases).