According to a recent study published in Arthritis Care & Research, children born to mothers with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) appear to have an increased risk of RA and other chronic health problems, The Arthritis Foundation reports.

HSS rheumatologist Theodore R. Fields, MD, FACP commented on the study's findings. He said that RA, like many diseases, appears to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors and that the study bears this out.

"We have long known that there is a significant genetic element to rheumatoid arthritis, and the finding of more rheumatoid arthritis in the children of women with RA in this large Danish study isn't surprising. Likewise, the incidence of thyroid disease is known to be higher in people with other autoimmune diseases, such as RA, so it's not surprising children of women with RA have more thyroid disease. This article reinforces the importance of follow-up in children of women with RA," said Dr. Fields.

Read the full article at blog.arthritis.org