Do Menopause and Aging Affect the Onset and Progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus?

Rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are autoimmune diseases that are commonly seen in the female population. Rheumatoid arthritis mainly consists of distal symmetrical deforming polyarthritis. SLE patients have immune complexes that damage the organs and systems of the body, and this can present with one or more symptoms including the characteristic malar rash, serositis, lupus nephritis, photosensitivity, and arthritis of large joints. The onset and progression of the diseases are affected by physiological processes that occur in the body such as menopause and aging. The studies used as evidence were found in the PubMed, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, Taylor & Francis Online, Wiley Online Library, Ovid, and Oxford Academic databases. By analyzing these studies, the effects of aging and menopause on rheumatoid arthritis and SLE were revealed. In relation to menopause and aging, it was found that there was a progression of disease in women who had rheumatoid arthritis. However, aging and menopause caused the progression of SLE to decrease in women. An earlier age of onset of menopause was correlated with an increased chance of developing rheumatoid arthritis and SLE. Furthermore, while some studies showed that a later onset of SLE caused an increase in the progression of the disease, other studies showed that a later onset of SLE led to a decrease in the progression of the disease. Due to the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis and SLE in females, we believe that the effects of menopause, age, and other factors on these two diseases should be examined in future studies.