Cachexia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a cohort study

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Body Composition Analysis
• Inflammatory Diseases

Background:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory condition causing significant body composition alterations.
• Rheumatoid cachexia (RC) is characterized by lean mass loss with preserved or increased fat mass, distinct from classic cachexia.
• Limited data exist on RC prevalence, progression, and associated factors in RA patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of cachexia in RA patients.
• To identify factors associated with cachexia development and progression in RA.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort study followed 81 RA patients for 1 year.
• Assessed clinical features, body composition, physical function, and diagnosed RC/classic cachexia using established criteria.
• Statistical analyses included t-tests, Chi-square tests, and generalized estimating equations (GEE).

Main Results:

• At baseline, 13.3-30.0% of RA patients exhibited RC; no patients met criteria for classic cachexia.
• RC prevalence remained stable over the 12-month study period.
• Higher disease activity and use of biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) were linked to changes in body composition and physical function.

Conclusions:

• Rheumatoid cachexia is prevalent in RA, whereas classic cachexia is absent.
• Disease activity and bDMARDs significantly influence body composition and physical function in RA.
• Achieving RA remission is crucial for managing body composition and physical function.