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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffCertain factors increase your risk of reactive arthritis:
- Sex. Reactive arthritis occurs most frequently in men 20 to 40 years old. Though women also can acquire reactive arthritis, they usually have milder signs and symptoms. Women and men are equally likely to develop reactive arthritis in reaction to food-borne infections. However, men are more likely than are women to develop reactive arthritis in response to sexually transmitted bacteria.
- Hereditary factors. Reactive arthritis may have a genetic component because many people with the condition also have a certain molecule on the surfaces of their cells that can be inherited. Having this genetic marker — called the human leukocyte antigen B27 (HLA-B27) — doesn't mean that you'll develop reactive arthritis, but it can increase your chances of developing reactive arthritis if you're exposed to specific bacteria.
References
- Reiter's syndrome and reactive arthritis. In: Noble J, et al. Textbook of Primary Care Medicine. 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2001. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/114024667-3/784198713/959/880.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-00828-3..50142-4--cesec10_4248. Accessed Dec. 17, 2008.
- Yu DT. Reactive arthritis (formerly Reiter syndrome). http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 17, 2008.
- Questions and answers about reactive arthritis. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Reactive_Arthritis/default.asp. Accessed Dec. 17, 2008.
- Leirisalo-Repo M, et al. Reactive arthritis. In: Firestein GS, et al. Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: W.B. Saunders; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/114235812-3/784844632/1807/526.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3285-4..10071-3--s0160_2594. Accessed Dec. 19, 2008.
- Septic arthritis. American Association for Clinical Chemistry. http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/conditions/septic.html. Accessed Dec. 19, 2008.
- Questions and answers about gout. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Gout/default.asp. Dec. 19, 2008.
