Abstract
Competing interests We confirm that this manuscript constitutes the original work of the authors detailed above and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere. The authors confirm that they have no conflicts of interest to declare in the preparation of this work, having equal data access and all had a role in preparation of the letter as detailed above.
Highlights
To the Editor We read the review “Is air pollution a risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis?” with great interest [1]
This finding is not explained by industrial pollution per se as two studies in high income countries found no consistent association between air pollution and an increased rheumatoid arthritis (RA) risk [2, 3]
If air pollution in high-income countries is not associated with the development of RA, what other factor can explain the risk for RA living in close proximity to a main road as opposed to just 150–200 m further away? We suggest a novel hypothesis of cadmium-containing road dust inhalation either by the roadside or within the home as a plausible explanation
Summary
To the Editor We read the review “Is air pollution a risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis?” with great interest [1]. It remains that two large well conducted studies in North America have clearly demonstrated an increased risk of RA in those residing ≤ 50 m from a highway compared with residence > 150 m away [4, 5]. This finding is not explained by industrial pollution per se as two studies in high income countries found no consistent association between air pollution and an increased RA risk [2, 3].
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