Nutritional status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

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Nutritional status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Gomez-Vaquero C, Nolla JM, Fiter J, Ramon JM, Concustell R, Valverde J,

Roig-Escofet D.

Rheumatology Department, Centre Sanitaire de l'Universite de Bellvitge,

L'Hospitalet, Barcelona, Spain.

BACKGROUND: Some chronic diseases have been associated to an impairment

of nutritional status. OBJECTIVE: To analyze nutritional status and its

relation to dietary intake, disease activity and treatment in rheumatoid

arthritis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We have included 93 patients (43 men

and 50 women) and 93 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. The

assessment of nutritional status included anthropometric (body mass

index, tricipital skin fold and midarm muscular circumference) and

biochemical (serum albumin, prealbumin and retinol binding protein)

parameters. Dietary intake was calculated from a food frequency

questionnaire. As a measure of disease activity, we used the Health

Assessment Questionnaire, Ritchie index, tender and swollen joint count

and C-reactive protein. Statistical analysis was performed in the whole

series and in every functional class. RESULTS: In the whole series,

midarm muscular circumference and serum albumin were significantly lower

in patients than in controls. All anthropometric parameters and serum

albumin were significantly lower in patients in functional class IV than

in their respective controls. The dietary intake of energy,

carbohydrates, vegetal proteins and lipids was higher in patients than

in controls. Midarm muscular circumference and serum albumin had a

significant inverse relation with disease activity parameters; body mass

index, midarm muscular circumference and serum albumin correlated

inversely with the cumulative dose of glucocorticoids. CONCLUSIONS:

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis in functional class IV have an

impairment of nutritional status without a deficient dietary intake. The

differences found in other functional classes are explained by

rheumatoid arthritis itself. Nutritional parameters are related to

disease activity and glucocorticoid treatment.

PMID: 11707006 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]