Does RA increase the risk of infections in older adults at 69?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 69-year-old female with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and recently had two infections back-to-back, including one that took much longer to recover from than I expected.

It made me wonder whether it is just bad luck, aging, or something related to rheumatoid arthritis and the medications I am taking. I know immune suppression is part of the treatment, but I am still trying to understand how much of the infection risk comes from the disease itself versus the medications.

Does rheumatoid arthritis or its treatment increase the risk of infections in older adults?
Are there vaccines or precautions that people with rheumatoid arthritis usually take to better protect themselves from infections?

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Your query has been analyzed, and I am well aware of your concerns.

Both rheumatoid arthritis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis lead to an increase in the risk of infections.

The immune system gets dysregulated in cases of rheumatoid arthritis due to the autoimmune process. Thus, the immune system becomes unable to differentiate between foreign antigens and the tissues of one’s body and is less likely to react properly when there is an infection present. Besides, chronic inflammation leads to making one’s body more vulnerable to infectious pathogens.

Immunosuppressive drugs inhibit the adaptive immunity system and therefore make the body unable to fight against the invading organisms and become infected more easily.

Nevertheless, these drugs must not be stopped without the help of a physician, as it is important to control your disease.

It is advised to follow the precautions mentioned below:

Wearing masks in overcrowded or closed public spaces.
Getting the annual flu shot.
Vaccinating against pneumococcal infections based on your physician’s recommendations.
Following good hand hygiene rules and avoiding people with infectious diseases.

I hope I have answered your question.

In case you would like to ask anything further, do not hesitate to do so.

Thank you very much.