Rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases include a wide range of systemic autoimmune, inflammatory, and mechanical diseases that affect the joints and bones. These diseases are often associated with functional disability and altered health-related quality of life.
Within the EPIC studies, several teams have studied locally the potential associations between the exposome and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, or giant cell arteritis. This research has led to a better understanding of these diseases, including the effect of hormonal exposure, diet, and cardiovascular risk factors and their relationship to these inflammatory diseases.
The first collaborative project, studying the association between dietary patterns, lifestyle, and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis in five countries, is currently under way. Numerous other environmental or socioeconomic exposures are currently being considered for rheumatoid arthritis or other inflammatory rheumatic diseases.
Contact details/Working group leader
Raphaèle Seror, MD, PhD
Rheumatology Department, Bicêtre Hospital, AP-HP Sud, 78 Rue du Général Leclerc
94270 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre
France
raphaele.seror@aphp.fr