Oral potassium may reduce RA pain, disease activity

Supplementation with oral potassium was associated with a reduction in pain and disease activity compared to patients who did not receive supplementation, according to recently presented data.

Researchers studied 172 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with a mean age of 49.9 years and mean disease duration of 9.9 years. Women comprised 89% of the group, and 74% were seropositive. Patient evaluations included measurements of disease activity and pain on a VAS.

Patients were randomly assigned to either arm A, a potassium-rich diet, arm B, which included a potassium supplement powder, or arm C, in which patients followed their normal diet. Arms were matched for several measures, including mean disease activity. All patients continued routine RA care.

Monthly evaluations included urinary compliance checks and standard safety and efficacy evaluations. Following intervention, pain on VAS was significantly improved in the patients in arm B, which also had the greatest proportion of patients with pain reduced by 50% or greater. The highest improvements in the Health Assessment Questionnaire and SF-36 were observed in arm B, along with the highest levels of morning serum cortisol. A reduction in DAS28 of 1.4 was seen in arm A, 1.2 in arm B and 0.9 in arm C.

“Overall, this seemed to be a gentle, useful and safe adjunct therapy,” the researchers concluded. – by Shirley Pulawski

Reference:

Kainifard T, et al. Paper #1438. Presented at: American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting; Nov. 7-11, 2015; San Francisco.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.