Combined oral contraceptives can alleviate pain and improve the quality of life of women suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.

To this unexpected conclusion came the researchers from Germany, for two years, observed almost three hundred patients with this disease.

"Women with rheumatoid arthritis who currently or in the past used oral contraceptives two years after the diagnosis show better results than those who have never used these drugs," write the study authors.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the human immune system affects the joints, which leads to pain, inflammation, and limitation of mobility. To date, the number of patients with rheumatoid arthritis in the United States is estimated at 1.3 million, 75% of whom are women. In Russia, according to various sources, from 0.6% to 1% of the population suffer from this disease.

Dr. Waseem Mir, a rheumatologist at the Lenox Hill Hospital in New York who did not participate in the study, notes: "We must treat the results of this work with great caution. This is interesting data, but it is too early to draw conclusions ".

One of the reasons for Dr. World's caution lies in the fact that the results are based on a survey of the participants themselves, that is, on their personal perception of their condition, rather than on objective clinical data. In the course of such a study, it is impossible to prove the causal relationship between the intake of oral contraceptives and the change in the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

"I would also like to immediately warn about the risks associated with oral contraceptives. In some patients with rheumatoid arthritis, such drugs can cause blood clots, "added Dr. Mir.

The results of the study of German scientists were published in the professional journal Arthritis Care & Research.

The lead author Dr. Katinka Albrecht from the German Center for the Study of Rheumatism in Berlin included 273 patients who suffered from rheumatoid arthritis. All these women were from 18 to 60 years old.

Of these, 18% never took oral contraceptives, 63% took them in the past and 19% continued to take during the study. No participant received hormone replacement therapy, which could significantly affect the results.

The analysis showed that taking oral contraceptives does not affect the progression of the disease, but women who at the time of the study or in the past took OC showed a higher quality of life as a result of a standard survey. In addition, they were less dependent on the intake of glucocorticoid drugs.

Arguing about the possible reasons for such a connection, the authors of the study suggested that it is due to an increased level of estrogen - the female sex hormone, which can positively influence the mood. Also, an elevated level of estrogen is associated with a decrease in the intensity of inflammatory processes, including rheumatoid arthritis, but this has not been conclusively proven.

Dr. Jennifer Wu, obstetrician-gynecologist at Lenox Hill Hospital, says: "Oral contraceptives are known for their ability to reduce the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer, and improving the quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis is another unexpected positive effect. But I do not believe that women should take oral contraceptives specifically for this. Another thing is if a young woman with rheumatoid arthritis needs a contraceptive. Then, in the light of the latest data, she should make a choice in favor of OK ".

medbe. en.