In early rheumatoid arthritis, comorbidities do not explain the increased risk of failure to reach remission in patients with obesity
Authors' conclusion
Obesity is a risk factor for remission failure in early RA, independent of comorbid conditions.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the Epidemiological Investigation of Rheumatoid Arthritis (EIRA) study 2006–2018 initiating MTX monotherapy as first DMARD, Sweden
- Participants
- 1,285 patients
- Exposure
- Obesity and overweight vs normal weight
- Obesityn = 153
- Overweightn = 326
- Normal weightn = 433reference
- Outcome
- Failure to reach DAS28 remission
- Follow-up
- 3 and 6 months
Methodological detailsregister linkage, modified Poisson regression, adjusted for potential confounders
- Register linkage
- Modified Poisson regression
- Adjusted for potential confounders
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
6 months
Obesity vs Normal weightRR for remission failure (95% CI)
Adjusted for age and sex
1.33(1.14–1.55)
Further adjusted for seropositivity, education, smoking, alcohol, physical activity, calendar period, GC treatment and comorbidities
1.27(1.08–1.50)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Secondary outcomes
Boolean, SDAI and CDAI remission and components; Disease Activity Score (DAS28) remission at 3 months
- Results similar for the secondary outcomes and after 3 months
Original publication
In early rheumatoid arthritis, comorbidities do not explain the increased risk of failure to reach remission in patients with obesity. RMD Open. Published 15 April 2025. doi:10.
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