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Obesity linked with increased CRP, ESR in women with RA
In women with rheumatoid arthritis, obesity was associated an increased C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, according to recently published data.
“Obesity is associated with greater [C-reactive protein] CRP in women with [rheumatoid arthritis], similar to what is seen in the general population,” Michael George, MD, MSCE, in the Division of Rheumatology at the University of Pennsylvania, and colleagues wrote. “This association is explained by greater fat mass and not greater RA disease activity, suggesting that CRP should be interpreted cautiously among women with obesity.”
George and colleagues assessed associations of BMI with CRP and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in two RA cohorts, one which included measures of fat mass index (n = 451) and the other from a longitudinal Veterans Affairs RA registry (n= 1,652). Patients were stratified by sex and compared with the general population using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Researchers found increased BMI was associated with increased CRP in women, after adjustment for joint counts and patient global scores. However, after adjustment for fat mass index, the association was attenuated.
“Positive associations between BMI and ESR in women were more modest,” the researchers wrote.
In men with RA, lower BMI was associated with increased CRP and ESR, which was different from the associations among men in the general population.
“The evidence from the current study suggests that this inverse association between BMI and CRP in men is an RA-specific phenomenon and not a direct causal effect of adiposity — the positive association between BMI and CRP in the general population suggests that adiposity can contribute to greater CRP levels in men as well as women,” the researchers wrote. “One hypothesis for these findings is that higher levels of systemic inflammation leading to weight loss (both lean and fat mass) could obscure the modest association between adiposity and CRP.” – by Will Offit
Disclosures: George reports he has received support from the NIH and Rheumatology Research Foundation Scientist Development Award. Please see the full study for a list of all other relevant financial disclosures.