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Excess Weight Has Negative Impact on RA
Arthritis Care Res; ePub 2017 Nov 30; Schulman, et al
Rates of overweight and obesity were high (69%) in an early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA) cohort, in a study, the largest of its kind, demonstrating the negative impact of excess weight on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity. Furthermore, overweight patients were 25%, and obese patients were 47% less likely to achieve sustained remission (sREM) in the first 3 years despite similar initial disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) treatment and subsequent biologic use. Data were from a multicenter observational trial of ERA patients treated by rheumatologists using guideline-based care. sREM was defined as Disease Activity Score (DAS28) <2.6 for 2 consecutive visits. Patients were stratified by body mass index (BMI) (healthy [18.5-24.9]; overweight [25-29.9]; and obese [≥30]). Researchers found:
- Of 982 patients, 315 (32%) had a healthy BMI, 343 (35%) were overweight, and 324 (33%) were obese; 355 (36%) achieved sREM within 3 years.
- Initial treatment did not differ by BMI category.
- Compared to healthy BMI, overweight and obese patients were significantly less likely to achieve sREM.
Schulman E, Bartlett SJ, Schieir O, et al. Overweight and obesity reduce the likelihood of achieving sustained remission in early rheumatoid arthritis: Results from the Canadian Early Arthritis Cohort Study. [Published online ahead of print November 30, 2017]. Arthritis Care Res. doi:10.1002/acr.23457.