Background:Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and body composition are closely related. Recent studies have found a significant association between fat mass and disease activity and disability in RA [1].Objectives:We aimed to study the association between body fat mass and its distribution with disease activity, disability, and pain in RA patients.Methods:This is a cross-sectional study of patients with RA diagnosis according to ACR-EULAR 2010 classification recruited from first January 2021. Those with prior cancer, hyperparathyroidism, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and cirrhosis were excluded. Body fat mass (BFM) and its distribution (gynoid (GFM), android (AFM), visceral (VFM), limbs (LFM), trunk (TFM)) were measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (Hologic, Horizon QDR®). Clinical data and laboratory tests of the same day of the DXA scan were analyzed. The associations between BFM and its distribution with disease activity score (DAS28CRP), pain visual analogue scale (VAS), and disability measured by health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) were explored. Obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) ≥ of 25kg/m2. Our statistical analysis was based on descriptive study, comparisons and linear regressions using SPSS 20.Results:It is about 69 RA patients. Their mean age was 49.86 ± 14.33 years, mean DAS28CRP was 2.56 ± 1.27, and mean disease duration was 14.84 ± 10.99 years. Sixty-two (89.9%) were women. The mean BMI was 26.46 ± 5.26 kg/m2, and 41 patients were obese (59.4%). Compared with non-obese patients, obese patients had a higher C-reactive protein (p = 0.03). DAS28CRP was higher in obese patients (2.77 ± 1.41 vs 2.25 ± 0.97) but did not reach significance (p = 0.07). We did not find any difference between the two groups regarding pain and disability. In univariate regression analysis, the LFM was positively associated with disease activity (p = 0.001; β = 0.38), pain (p = 0.001; β = 0.38) and disability (p = 0.007; β = 0.32). Adjusted on BMI, LDL cholesterol, triglyceride, cumulative dose of corticosteroid, disease and corticosteroid duration, menopause duration, dose and duration of methotrexate, we found a significant association between LFM, disability (p = 0.02; β = 0.51), disease activity (p = 0.02; β = 0.54) and pain (p = 0.009; β = 0.57). However, we had no association between disease activity, pain, and disability with BFM and the other components.Conclusion:Limbs fat mass was significantly associated with the activity, disability, and pain in RA patients.References:[1]Kyeong Min Son, Seong Hun Kang, Young Il Seo, Hyun Ah Kim. Association of body composition with disease activity and disability in rheumatoid arthritis. Korean J Intern Med. 2021 Jan;36(1):214-222.Disclosure of Interests:None declared
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