Impact of inflammation on cognitive function in patients with highly inflammatory rheumatoid arthritis
Authors' conclusion
Patients with RA with high inflammatory activity are more susceptible to cognitive impairment, which specifically affects the domains of visuospatial, memory, abstraction and executive function.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) initiating first biological treatment due to moderate-to-high inflammation, and matched healthy controls
- Participants
- 140 patients
- Exposure
- Patients with RA initiating first biological treatment vs healthy controls
- RAn = 70
- Controlsn = 70reference
- Outcome
- Cognitive impairment (MoCA score<26)
Methodological detailsmatched for age, sex and educational level
- Matched for age, sex and educational level
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Cognitive impairment (MoCA<26)
P = 0.019
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Mean
| Outcome | RA | Controls | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| MoCA scoreLower in patients | 23.6 (SD 3.9) | 25.1 (SD 3.4) | P = 0.019 |
Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) subtests: involvement more marked in patients than controls
- Visuospatial-executive domain
- P = 0.030
- Memory domain
- P = 0.026
- Abstraction domain
- P = 0.039
Executive function (backward digit span test)
- Patients scored lower than controls: 4.0 (1.7) vs 4.7 (1.9)
- P = 0.039
Factors associated with cognitive impairment
- General population: age and lower educational level
- RA: educational level, obesity and average inflammatory activity (Disease Activity Score (DAS28), C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-6)
Original publication
Impact of inflammation on cognitive function in patients with highly inflammatory rheumatoid arthritis. RMD Open. Published 23 July 2024. doi:10.
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