Summary

In a recent study in mice [Jonsson IM et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci 2007], alcohol consumption prevented development of destructive arthritis. This anti-inflammatory and anti-destructive property of alcohol was mediated by down-regulation of leukocyte migration and upregulation of testosterone secretion, with the latter leading to decreased NF-kappaB activation. This article discusses the Epidemiological Investigation of Rheumatoid Arthritis [EIRA] study is a population based case-control study of incident cases of RA among 1,419 subjects aged 18–70 years in a defined area of Sweden.