This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Lower BMI linked to better response to infliximab in patients with RA
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis and lower BMI showed a better response to treatment with infliximab compared with patients with a higher BMI, according to study findings.
Researchers conducted a single-center, retrospective study of 76 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with infliximab between January 2005 and January 2012 at Bichat Hospital in Paris. Patients had a mean age 49.1 years and a mean disease duration of 8 years, and 63% of the patients were women. Mean disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) was 5.6. Twenty-five patients had a BMI less than 25 kg/m2, 29 had a BMI of 25 kg/m2 to 30 kg/m2 and 22 had a BMI of greater than 30 kg/m2; median BMI was 26.6 kg/m2. Although clinical rheumatoid arthritis (RA) covariates were similar among the three groups, fewer overweight patients had previously been treated with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) inhibitor.
At baseline and at 6 months, BMI, demographic data, disease duration, disease activity, use of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), laboratory values and other data were collected. After 6 months of therapy with infliximab, clinical response was evaluated. The researchers defined a good response as a decrease in the DAS28 of 1.2 or greater, and low disease activity was defined as DAS28 3.2 or less. Remission was defined as DAS28 of less than 2.6.
The mean number of infusions over the 6-month period was 22.4, and 41 patients (53.9%) met the study’s primary endpoint of DAS28 1.2 or greater and low disease activity, according to the researchers.
Univariate analysis showed the median BMI was lower in patients who achieved a good response than in patients who did not respond to treatment, but not significantly. However, multivariate analysis showed a significant difference when adjusted for age, sex, disease duration, rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide status, prior use of anti- TNF-a treatment, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein status at baseline, concomitant DMARD use and state of joint erosion. Obesity was associated with a lack of response, according to the researchers. - by Shirley Pulawski
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts