Bariatric Surgery Improves Rheumatoid Arthritis Outcomes Save

Obesity is a modest risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) onset. More importantly, obese patients have significanty lower treatment responses to DMARDs and biologics, making them harder to treat than your average RA patient.

Researchers from The Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston analyzed a cohort of 53 obese RA patients who underwent bariatric surgery.  (Citation source http://buff.ly/1lQbyp1) 

Various measures were collected including anthropometrics, laboratory values, DAS scores, etc., before surgery, and 6 and 12 months after surgery. Their pre-surgical mean BMI was nearly 48.

They found that 12 months after surgery, RA patients had lost a mean of 41.0 kg and 70% of excess weight (P<.001). Moreover, this was correlated with significant improvement in rheumatoid arthritis disease activity (P<.001) and lab measures of inflammation (ESR, CRP). High disease activity dropped fro 57% to 6% at 12 months. At their most recent followup visit, 74% were in remission, compared to 26% at baseline (P < 0.001). 

These data point to obvious benefits to major significant weight reduction in RA.