Sarcopenia, immune-mediated rheumatic diseases, and nutritional interventions

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Gerontology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Sarcopenia, characterized by muscle mass and function loss, is linked to adverse outcomes including mortality and disability.
• Chronic inflammation and reduced physical activity are key risk factors for sarcopenia development.
• Assessing sarcopenia's role in immune-mediated rheumatic diseases (IMRDs) is crucial, with nutritional interventions offering a modifiable approach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review the existing evidence on nutritional interventions for sarcopenia in IMRDs.
• To synthesize information on the relationship between sarcopenia, IMRDs, and biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs).

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases (Medline, Dimensions.ai, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, Epistemonikos, Trip Database).
• Results were categorized into sarcopenia in IMRDs, sarcopenia and bDMARDs, and nutritional interventions for sarcopenia.

Main Results:

• Higher sarcopenia prevalence is observed in IMRDs like rheumatoid arthritis, with emerging evidence in other conditions.
• Biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) show efficacy in sarcopenia management for rheumatoid arthritis patients.
• Growing evidence links nutritional factors, including protein, vitamin D, and fatty acid intake, to sarcopenia prevention and treatment.

Conclusions:

• A strong association exists between sarcopenia and IMRDs, highlighting the need for further research.
• Optimizing nutritional strategies is essential for improving patient care and outcomes in IMRDs.