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. 2014 Sep;1(3):106-110.
doi: 10.5152/eurjrheumatol.2014.035. Epub 2014 Sep 1.

Body composition in patients with rheumatoid arthritis is not different than healthy subjects

Servet Akar  1 , İsmail Sarı  1 , Abdurrahman Çömlekci  1 , Merih Birlik  1 , Fatoş Önen  1 , Yiğit Göktay  2 , Dinc Özaksoy  2 , Nurullah Akkoç  1
Affiliations

Body composition in patients with rheumatoid arthritis is not different than healthy subjects

Servet Akar et al. Eur J Rheumatol. 2014 Sep.

Abstract

Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Increased body fat, particularly its central distribution, is a well-known risk factor for CVD. A change in body composition in RA has been described previously. However, in most of these studies, age- and sex- but not body mass index (BMI)-matched controls were used. The aim of this study was to evaluate body composition in RA patients and compare it with age-, sex-, and BMI-matched controls.

Material and methods: Sixty-five RA patients (55 females and 10 males; mean age 54.9 ± 10.8) and 31 healthy controls (25 females, 6 males; 53.8±8.6) were included in this study. Mean disease duration was 9.2±9.6 years. Body composition was assessed by anthropometric methods (skinfold thicknesses, body circumferences), bioimpedance analysis, and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) was assessed with computed tomography.

Results: There were no significant differences for total body fatness, regional fat distribution, and total body water and fat-free mass between RA patients and control subjects. Bone mineral content (BMC), assessed by DXA, was significantly lower in RA patients (p=0.004). Clinical disease activity indices and steroid treatment do not affect soft tissue body composition or BMC.

Conclusion: At least some RA patients do not have soft tissue composition alterations and may have similar health risks in comparison with subjects with similar age, sex, and total adiposity.

Keywords: Arthritis; body composition; rheumatoid; visceral adipose tissue.

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