Rheumatoid Arthritis & Kidney Health: Understanding the Link

The connection between rheumatoid arthritis and kidney disease has been disputed in the past. However, as a result of continued study, it has since been determined that other related issues are usually the culprit.

Related Diseases at Fault

• AARP.org reports that kidney damage for rheumatoid arthritis patients is most likely the result of autoimmune diseases that often accompany RA, including scleroderma or lupus.

Gout

• Gout is an arthritis closely related to rheumatoid arthritis. It causes sudden, severe pain. MayoClinic.com tells readers that gout may cause kidney stones because of related crystals that build up in the patient's body.

Rheumatoid Vasculitis

• ClevelandClinic.org says that some rheumatoid arthritis patients develop rheumatoid vasculitis, causing swelling of arteries and damaging various organs in the body, including the kidneys.

Medication Issues

• Several medications commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis are reported to possibly cause kidney damage. For example, minocycline and cyclosporine could affect kidney function, although these are not common occurrences.

Kidney Issues Rare

• LifeSpan.org reports that while it's rare for rheumatoid arthritis to directly cause kidney disease, RA can cause nodules on the kidneys.