Association between cigarette smoking and release of tumour necrosis factor and its soluble receptors by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

In RA patients who smoke there is an alteration in the ratio of TNF-alpha/sTNFR released by stimulated T cells that might favour increased TNF-alpha activity. The increased TNF-alpha/sTNFR ratio is associated with extent of smoking, and remains elevated after smoking cessation.