All News

Article

Is Obesity Inflating Your Disease Activity Scores?

Jiha Lee, MD Nov 09, 2026

Obesity is common in inflammatory arthritis, with an estimated 60-70% of people with rheumatoid arthritis and 70-80% of people with psoriatic arthritis also living with overweight or obesity. But does obesity affect disease activity and outcomes in inflammatory arthritis?

Richez et al. RCT MTX+Metformin vs MTX in RA. No benefit seen @RheumNow #ACR26 Abstr#1398 https://t.co/JyGqbkaKxq

https://x.com/RichardPAConway/status/2119826095776174104/photo/1

In case you were in doubt, immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced inflammatory arthritis can persist on, long after the culpable ICI has stopped. n=67 ICI-IA active >3mo post-ICI cessation @UChicago these pts need real care into survivorship @ReidMDMPH ABST1682 #ACR26 @RheumNow https://t.co/7zQJbFwp18

https://x.com/drdavidliew/status/2119822823850119191/photo/1

Upadacitinib beats out Deucravacitinib in PsA SELECT-PsA pt matched to POETYK-PsA pt Week 12 UPA wins vs. week 16 DEU at: - ACR 20 - ACR 50 - ACR 70 - MDA Surprisingly similar safety signals but short-term timepoint #ACR26 @RheumNow #Abst1309 https://t.co/Z3CQ7DcmZj

https://x.com/Dr_Brian_MD/status/2119819514116260179/photo/1

Bimekizumab cost per ACR50 responder at wk 16 was 44-61% of risankizumab across 6 countries. Model used list prices (no discounts) and drug cost only over 16 wks. Is efficacy or cost driving the difference? A#2286 @RheumNow #ACR26 https://t.co/LBarmZZAv1

https://x.com/JihaRheum/status/2119814772850090314/photo/1

Data from the GLADEL cohort 2.0 show that a numerically higher number of pts on CYC achieved CRR at 6 & 12 mos vs. MMF users as initial induxn tx Pop: 76 pts only, majority female (86.8%), Mestizo ethnicity (72.4%) No superiority bet MMF or CYC seen. @RheumNow #ACR26 Abs1271 https://t.co/0J9Zaf1S3H

https://x.com/RHEUMarampa/status/2119813764526621121/photo/1

Vagal nerve stimuation in RA: I think when you implant a machine in your neck, you have expectations, even if not immunosuppressive 24mo follow-up RESET-RA VNS device refractory RA pts but is ACR20 60% good enough? (you can add DMARDs on top, though) ABST1426 #ACR26 @RheumNow https://t.co/lBkOUgR12e

https://x.com/drdavidliew/status/2119812002646266171/photo/1

As IL-17 gets more discussed in persistent ICI-IA, IL-17i will be discussed as therapy 8 cases @MassGenBrigham, 3 had ICI-colitis (one fatal) limited safe experience in literature & irAEs do clump together but IL-17 important in gut barrier one to watch ABST1675 #ACR26 @RheumNow https://t.co/Er3xSOc12m

https://x.com/drdavidliew/status/2119809737432920141/photo/1

TriNetX, 7,083 matched PsA pairs: GLP1 RA prescription was associated with lower 3 year risk of joint effusion (RR 0.77), joint pain (RR 0.83) and steroid injection (RR 0.91). Key finding: GLP1 RA use was associated with improved joint outcomes; coded psoriasis was higher.

The hottest treatment for TAK is... exercise? Online survey to TAK pt assessed exercise - 74% were rec'd exercise by MDs - 73% reported exercising Of 87% w/ arm involvement -> 35% improved sx w/ exercise Comparable to improvement attributed to meds! @Rheumnow #ACR26 #Abst1131

EULAR/ACR 2025 arthralgia risk score validated in real-world cohort: AUC 0.80 Argentina, n=1,803, 10.3% RA at 12 mo Low risk: 6% RA (92% of pts) Intermediate: 45% High: 93% (n=27) US PD added 0.015 to AUC. Triage works without imaging. @RheumNow #ACR26 Abstr#1837 https://t.co/fztG7PrCJb

https://x.com/he67407/status/2119798278891946334/photo/1

Should we triage TAK tx by age? 2 TAK cohorts TNFi responders: YOUNGER - mean age 23 Toci responders: OLDER - mean age 35 How does age change disease pathophys and are older patients closer to a GCA-spectrum disease? Potentially practice changing #ACRbest @RheumNow #Abst1124 https://t.co/JxAsRm8Q4M

https://x.com/Dr_Brian_MD/status/2119795737139814573/photo/1

Can we add JAKi to our TAK arsenal? Systemic review/meta-analysis of JAK treated TAK patients: Overall response rate - 86% at Mo 6 - 76.6% at Mo 12 Hugely encouraging # but need more info about specifics of their endpoint #Abst1123 @RheumNow #ACR26 https://t.co/u9Sas0DBMe

https://x.com/Dr_Brian_MD/status/2119793740055244826/photo/1

CCP+ at-risk: 4 findings at any visit flag arthritis within 6 mo Anti-CCP ≥3x ULN, RF+, EMS ≥30 min, ≥1 tender small joint All 4: PPV 46%, spec 86% 3 of 4: sens 81%, PPV 29% n=543. US did not add. @RheumNow #ACR26 Abstr#1836 https://t.co/jJaWixALZD

https://x.com/he67407/status/2119793381241208882/photo/1

What do we know about Pts at risk for #RA & +CCP Look at 5th #MTP ON #ULTRASOUND FOR ‘erosions’ If u/s erosions ⬆️progression to #RA ⬆️D2T ⬆️#bDMARD USE #ACR26 @ACRheum @RheumNow #1834

CCP+ at-risk with 3+ good-prognosis factors: ≥90% arthritis-free at 10 yr Leeds cohort, n=650 Low anti-CCP, RF neg, normal ESR, ≤1 tender joint, no US tenosynovitis 0 factors: 21% at 10 yr 10 yr arm is n=157. Low-risk pts can stay in primary care. @RheumNow #ACR26 Abstr#1835 https://t.co/eM4JNtfIcD

https://x.com/he67407/status/2119789715838869766/photo/1

Why does obesity matter in RD? ↑ risk of developing common arthritides ↑ disease activity or severity ↓ response to common inflammatory arthritis therapies Session: Fat, Fate, and Flares @RheumNow #ACR26 https://t.co/s4i7DokEkr

https://x.com/JihaRheum/status/2119787844130496538/photo/1

Great #RA session - Monday 8am A variety of topics Ex #ultrasound detecting erosions earlier #CCP+ - how will #erosions on u/s+ Pts progress in “preRA” 176 and 1/3 w erosions over time 5#MTP >MCP>wrist Many needed bDMARD w t/u @jeffsparks @ACRheum #ACR26 @RheumNow #1834 https://t.co/oR3o8kEc8U

Do women w RA have more severe menopause symptoms? Abstract 1849: Mayo cohort that RA vs non-RA • Severe symptoms higher (72.1% vs 56.5%) • Greater odds of severe symptoms (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.44-2.67) • Use of SSRI/SNRI or HRT similar in both groups #ACR26 @rheumnow

CD19 CAR-T in highly refractory RA has made waves this afternoon: COMPARE study n=6 also @NatureMedicine (https://t.co/CdDKL5TCcV) obviously highly promising in tough patients appropriately lots of interest however not a long-term panacea/cure for all ABST1902 #ACR26 @RheumNow https://t.co/tJRR2E2XZo

Topics

All News

Is Obesity Inflating Your Disease Activity Scores?

Do you get our email newsletter?