If you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis (RA), those extra pounds could prevent you from going into remission. In a study presented during a meeting of the American College of Rheumatology in November, 100 RA patients were given combination therapy consisting of methotrexate, sulfasalazine, hydroxychloroquine, and prednisolone combined with either infliximab or a placebo. After 12 months, 58 percent of the normal-weight participants taking combination therapy and placebo were in remission, compared to 35 percent of those who were considered overweight. Excess weight, however, had little to do with the patients ability to achieve remission when taking combination therapy and infliximab. "Obesity induces resistance to conventional antirheumatic drugs," the studys authors said. "Infliximab overcomes this resistance, probably due to its direct effect on inflammatory mediators."
To continue reading this article or issue you must be a paid subscriber.
Sign in
