biostudies-literatureKronzer VLNational Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin DiseasesBLRD VAR. Bruce and Joan M. Mickey Research Scholar FundNational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences TeamNHLBI NIH HHSNational Institutes of HealthCSRD VANational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationU.S. Department of DefenseRRF Scientist Development AwardNIAMS NIH HHSU.S. Department of Veterans AffairsNIH HHSNIGMS NIH HHS808-816https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12209746biostudies-literatureUnknown77(7)<h4>Objective</h4>The aim of this study was to determine whether pollutants such as fire smoke-related particulate matter <2.5 μm (PM_2.5) are associated with incident rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and RA-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD).<h4>Methods</h4>This patient-control study used Veterans Affairs (VA) data from October 1, 2009, to December 31, 2018. We identified patients with incident RA and RA-ILD using validated algorithms, matching each patient to ≤10 controls on age, sex, and VA enrollment year. We obtained pollutants including fire smoke PM_2.5, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides (NOx), ozone, overall PM_2.5, PM₁₀, and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) at least one year before the index date. We fit conditional logistic regression moArthritis & rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.)Associations of Fire Smoke and Other Pollutants With Incident Rheumatoid Arthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease.PMC12209746R01 HL155522P30-AR072577PR200793P30‐AR072577IK2 CX002203IK6 BX004600BX00460080NSSC21K0429RR01 AR077607R01 AR080659CSR&D IK2 CX002203P30 AR072577CSR&amp;D IK2 CX002203U54GM115458P30 AR070253U54 GM115458Roul PDavis JMSauer BCBaker JFMikuls TREngland BRCrooks JLSparks JAYang YCrowson CSKronzer VLPierce JRO'Dell KCannon GWfalseAssociations of Fire Smoke and Other Pollutants With Incident Rheumatoid Arthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease.<h4>Objective</h4>The aim of this study was to determine whether pollutants such as fire smoke-related particulate matter <2.5 μm (PM_2.5) are associated with incident rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and RA-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD).<h4>Methods</h4>This patient-control study used Veterans Affairs (VA) data from October 1, 2009, to December 31, 2018. We identified patients with incident RA and RA-ILD using validated algorithms, matching each patient to ≤10 controls on age, sex, and VA enrollment year. We obtained pollutants including fire smoke PM_2.5, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides (NOx), ozone, overall PM_2.5, PM₁₀, and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) at least one year before the index date. We fit conditional logistic regression mo2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Jul2026-07-15T01:49:56.65Z2026-06-27T03:18:35.491ZS-EPMC122097463980094510.1002/art.43113