Obesity prevalence is rising in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and associates with worse disease activity, function, and health-related quality of life, with a significant negative impact on achieving a low Disease Activity Score (DAS28), a recent study found. Data from 2 consecutive, similarly designed multicenter RA inception cohorts were used: Early RA Study (ERAS) and Early RA Network (ERAN). Recruitment figures/median follow-up for the ERAS and ERAN were 1,465/10 years (maximum 25 years), and 1,236/6 years (maximum 10 years), respectively. Multilevel piecewise longitudinal models with a change point at 2 years were used with the DAS28, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), and 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) components as dependent variables. Researchers found:

• BMI data from 2,386 newly diagnosed RA patients (11,348 measures) showed an increase in BMI of 0.27 U annually.
• Baseline obesity was associated with a significant reduction in the odds of achieving a low year 2 DAS28.
• At year 2, HAQ and SF-36 PCS scores were significantly worse but not at year 5 in patients obese at baseline.