Is tea consumption associated with reduction of risk of rheumatoid arthritis? A Swedish case-control study

BACKGROUND: Tea is a popular beverage around the world and has properties that can affect the immune system. The association between tea consumption and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic autoimmune disease primarily affecting the joints, is not well studied and results are conflicting. METHODS: We collected data on tea consumption for 2237 incident RA cases diagnosed 2005–2018 and 4661 controls matched on age, sex, and residential area. Tea consumption was classified into no (0 cups/day), irregular (< 1 cup/day), regular (1–2 cups/day), and high (≥ 2 cups/day) consumption, and irregular consumption was used as the reference category. Missing data on tea consumption was classified as no consumers, and sensitivity analyses were performed to test this assumption. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using conditional logistic regression, adjusting for smoking, coffee, alcohol, educational level, and body mass index. We also performed stratified analysis on sex, anti-citrullinated autoantibody (ACPA) status, and smoking habits. RESULTS: Among the cases, we found 57.3% to be ever consumers of tea with 19.7 having a high tea consumption. Corresponding figures for the controls were 58.4% ever drinkers with 22.1% high tea consumers. High tea consumption had an inverse association to the risk of RA compared to irregular consumption [OR = 0.78 (95% CI 0.66–0.92)], but the association lost statistical significance in the adjusted model [adjusted OR (adjOR) = 0.85 (95% CI 0.71–1.01)]. Among non-tea consumers, a protective effect was also observed compared to irregular consumers [adjOR = 0.82 (95% CI 0.70–0.88)], but this association did not withstand sensitivity analysis, possibly due to bias. In the ACPA-positive group and among current smokers, a protective effect of tea consumption was observed among the high tea consumers [adjOR = 0.76 (95% CI 0.62–0.94) and adjOR = 0.60 (95% CI 0.38–0.95), respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests a protective effect of high consumption of tea, among smokers and for ACPA-positive RA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not applicable SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13075-021-02583-y.