Study: Rheumatoid arthritis patients' BMI linked to ability to stay in remission

Researchers find very low or high BMI makes it more difficult for rheumatoid arthritis patients to achieve sustained remission

2014-11-17

(Press-News.org) A study by Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) researchers finds that body mass index (BMI) plays a role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients' ability to achieve a sustained remission. Looking at patients who had received an RA diagnosis within the past 12 months, investigators found that those who were significantly underweight or overweight/obese were the least likely to remain in remission.

The study, titled, "Very Low or High Body Mass Index Negatively Affects Patients' Ability to Achieve Sustained Remission in Early RA in a Multicenter Canadian Cohort," was presented at the American College of Rheumatology annual meeting on November 16 in Boston.

Researchers set out to determine if early RA patients with a very low BMI ( END

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