Modification of rheumatic symptoms by diet and drugs

Abstract

Persuasive reasons exist for considering that diet might affect rheumatic disease, and rheumatoid arthritis in particular. Two possible mechanisms suggested which need not be mutually exclusive are: dietary antigens might provoke hypersensitivity responses (food allergies), which would in turn result in rheumatological symptoms; nutritional modifications might alter immune and inflammatory responses and thus affect manifestations of rheumatic diseases. Instances of food-induced arthritis are given, and these include gout, the pathogenic moiety of which is serum uric acid concentration which is influenced by the purine content of the diet; black walnut (Juglans nigra) ingestion and Behcet's syndrome; chemical or food challenges (particularly wheat, maize and beef) and symptomatic arthritis; rheumatoid arthritis and dairy products; food and tartrazine sensitivity and rheumatoid arthritis; and rheumatoid-like synovitis in rabbits and consumption of cow's milk. Possible effects of fasting, polyunsaturated fatty acids and iron on rheumatoid arthritis are discussed.