Rheumatoid arthritis patients who smoke have a higher need for DMARDs and feel worse, but they do not have more joint damage than non-smokers of the same serological group

Abstract

The higher use of DMARDs may indicate that smoking weakens the potency of anti-rheumatic drugs and/or is needed to control an otherwise higher disease activity. Since the risk of adverse events increases with the amount of drugs taken, this is another reason to persuade RA patients to quit smoking.