Published in the journal Musculoskeletal Care, this investigation conducted with 779 perimenopausal, menopausal or postmenopausal women show that 80% of participants noted a worsening of symptoms during this period, and that 10% of them report a “considerable” deterioration.
Rheumatoid arthritis, which affects more than 300,000 people in France, is a chronic autoimmune disease causing swelling, pain and joint stiffness. Although there are treatments to relieve the symptoms, no cure is currently available.
The role of estrogens highlighted
Experts attribute this worsening of symptoms to falling estrogen levels, a characteristic phenomenon of menopause. A previous study published in BMC Rheumatology underlines the crucial role of this hormone in the development and progression of rheumatoid arthritis. It also indicates that women with Early menopause are up to three times more likely to develop this condition.
Unconvincing hormonal treatments
The study also highlights thelimited effectiveness of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Although almost half of the women surveyed were on HRT, only 33% of them said they felt a “moderate” reduction…
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