Childhood Abuse Linked to Higher Risk of Arthritis and Psoriasis in Adulthood

New Delhi: A recent study has revealed that individuals who experienced abuse, neglect, or domestic violence during childhood face a heightened risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis later in life. The research, conducted by the University of Birmingham, utilized the Dexter software platform to analyze over 16 million electronic health records spanning 26 years.

The study identified 256,130 records of individuals exposed to childhood maltreatment, including physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, neglect, or domestic violence, before the age of 18. These cases were compared to a control group of 712,478 records, matched for age, sex, socioeconomic status, and general practitioner (GP) location. Researchers searched the records for medical codes related to immune-mediated inflammatory disorders (IMIDs) such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, coeliac disease, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and systemic lupus erythematosus from 1995 to 2021.

The findings, published in Communications Physics, revealed a significant association between childhood maltreatment and an increased incidence of rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. The maltreatment cohort showed an elevated risk for rheumatoid arthritis, with rates of 11.19 per 100,000 patient-years compared to 7.77 in the control group. Similarly, psoriasis rates were higher at 152.79 per 100,000 patient-years versus 128.74 in the control group.

The study also found that the increased risk was more pronounced in women than men. Lead researcher Dr. Liam Snook emphasized the novelty of the findings, stating, "As far as we’re aware, this is the first matched cohort longitudinal study to investigate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and immune-mediated inflammatory disorders (IMIDs) in later life."

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by joint inflammation, pain, stiffness, and swelling. Psoriasis, another autoimmune condition, manifests as red, scaly patches on the skin due to an overactive immune response that accelerates skin cell production.

This research highlights the long-term health impacts of childhood adversity, underscoring the importance of early intervention and support to mitigate these risks.