Review on the Role of Estrogen Hormone in Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease

Abstract

Estrogen, a key hormone primarily involved in the regulation of the female reproductive system, has been studied for its impact on autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that predominantly affects women, especially during their reproductive years and postmenopausal stage.  Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the synovial membrane of joint and produces self-antibodies like anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) and rheumatoid factors (RF). Estrogen can transiently suppress pro-inflammatory cytokines, leading to temporary improvement in rheumatoid arthritis symptoms during pregnancy or periods of high estrogen levels. When estrogen levels drop after menopause, it can exacerbate joint inflammation and degeneration, making illness more severe. The relationship between estrogen and rheumatoid arthritis diseases is complex in both immune-modulatory and inflammatory pathways. Estrogen plays an important role in controlling pro-inflammatory effects, especially during hormonal changes. It also has a role in the severity of the disease, and this varies according to the stage of the disease and the hormonal status. This study reviewed previous studies on the relationship between estrogen and rheumatoid arthritis diseases, which numbered 22 studies over different years, which demonstrated the effective role of the hormone estrogen with the body’s immunity when infected with diseases in general, and rheumatoid arthritis diseases in particular. Understanding the interaction between estrogen and rheumatoid arthritis can provide insights into new treatment strategies, including hormone replacement therapy and selective estrogen receptor modulators. Extensive research is recommended to clarify the exact role of estrogen in the development and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.