Published by Wiley-Liss, Inc. Coffee, Tea, and Caffeine Consumption and Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis Results From the Iowa Women’s Health Study

Objective. To evaluate whether coffee, tea, and caffeine consumption are risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) onset among older women. Methods. These factors were evaluated in a pro-spective cohort study that was initiated in 1986 and that included 31,336 women ages 55–69 years without a history of RA. Risk factor data were self-reported using a mailed questionnaire. Through 1997, 158 cases of RA were identified and validated against medical records. The relative risk (RR) and 95 % confidence interval (95% CI) were used as the measures of association and were adjusted for age, alcohol use, smoking history, age at menopause, marital status, and the use of hormone replacement therapy. Results. Compared with those reporting no use