Each year The European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR), an organization that represents the patient, healthcare professional and professional societies of rheumatology in the European Union, holds the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology. Not only does this forum serve as a space where rheumatology professionals can connect with patient organizations from all across Europe, but is also helps rheumatologists engage with other professionals and learn about new findings in the field.

If you recall my previous blog, Medicines May Help to Prevent Arthritis, EULAR may sound familiar to you because this blog was based on a report from this forum as well. As a follow-up to my previous blog, I’d also like to talk about another interesting finding that was presented at the conference: secondhand smoke exposure from cigarettes in childhood can boost chances of getting rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

“This is the first demonstration of a rheumatoid arthritis risk associated with passive smoking,” explained Raphaèle Seror, M.D., a professor of rheumatology at the University of Paris–South and a practicing rheumatologist at the Hospital Bicetre Kremlin Bicetre, at the European Congress of Rheumatology.

This blog was originally posted on Micha Abeles’ other website. To read the rest of the blog, please click here