Abstract
Rheumatoid cachexia, loss of muscle mass and strength and concomitant increase in fat mass, is very common in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Despite great advances in the treatment of RA, it appears that rheumatoid cachexia persists even after joint inflammation improves. Rheumatoid cachexia may be an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease and excess mortality in RA. In this issue of Arthritis Research & Therapy, Elkan and colleagues demonstrate a link between rheumatoid cachexia and metabolic syndrome, further reinforcing the need for therapy directed beyond inflammation and at the metabolic consequences of RA.
Highlights
Evidence from cancer, heart failure, and HIV infection strongly points to weight loss as an independent predictor of poor outcome
This issue of Arthritis Research & Therapy includes an important article on rheumatoid cachexia by Elkan and colleagues [1] demonstrating that cachexia remains common in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and is associated with a higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome and hypertension, which may contribute to the excess mortality of RA
Rheumatoid cachexia refers to the loss of fat-free mass, predominantly skeletal muscle, that occurs in RA
Summary
Evidence from cancer, heart failure, and HIV infection strongly points to weight loss as an independent predictor of poor outcome (reviewed in [5]). This issue of Arthritis Research & Therapy includes an important article on rheumatoid cachexia by Elkan and colleagues [1] demonstrating that cachexia remains common in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and is associated with a higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome and hypertension, which may contribute to the excess mortality of RA.
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