The Obesity Epidemic and Consequences for Rheumatoid Arthritis Care
- 7 January 2016
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Current Rheumatology Reports
- Vol. 18 (1), 1-9
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s11926-015-0550-z
Abstract
With the prevalence of obesity increasing dramatically worldwide over the past several decades, an increasing body of literature has examined the impact of obesity in the context of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Epidemiologic studies suggest that obesity may be associated with a modestly increased risk for the development of RA, although these studies have shown conflicting results. Among patients with established RA, obesity has been observed to be associated with greater subjective measures of disease activity and poor treatment response, but also with a decreased risk of joint damage and lower mortality. A comprehensive evaluation of the influence of obesity on the measurement of disease, response to therapies, and long-term prognosis is critical in order to understand these observations. This review therefore focuses on recent observations, potential explanations for these findings, and implications for clinicians and investigators caring for and studying patients with RA.Keywords
This publication has 77 references indexed in Scilit:
- National, regional, and global trends in body-mass index since 1980: systematic analysis of health examination surveys and epidemiological studies with 960 country-years and 9·1 million participantsThe Lancet, 2011
- Smoking is a major preventable risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis: estimations of risks after various exposures to cigarette smokeAnnals Of The Rheumatic Diseases, 2010
- Infliximab therapy increases body fat mass in early rheumatoid arthritis independently of changes in disease activity and levels of leptin and adiponectin: a randomised study over 21 monthsArthritis Research & Therapy, 2010
- Associations of disease activity and treatments with mortality in men with rheumatoid arthritis: results from the VARA registryRheumatology, 2010
- Risk of diabetes among patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and psoriasisAnnals Of The Rheumatic Diseases, 2010
- Is the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis rising?: Results from Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1955–2007Arthritis & Rheumatism, 2010
- Inflammation‐associated insulin resistance: Differential effects in rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus define potential mechanismsArthritis & Rheumatism, 2008
- Abnormal body composition phenotypes in older rheumatoid arthritis patients: Association with disease characteristics and pharmacotherapiesArthritis Care & Research, 2008
- Rheumatoid cachexia: a clinical perspectiveRheumatology, 2008
- Redefining overweight and obesity in rheumatoid arthritis patientsAnnals Of The Rheumatic Diseases, 2007