ANTHROPOMETRIC AND BODY COMPOSITION CHARACTERIZATION IN RA AND OA PATIENTS

Background: Obesity is one of the major risk factors either in OA, influencing its emergence, or in RA, increasing associated cardiovascular risk and affecting activity and quality of life.Methods: 538 RA patients and 279 OA patients, followed in the Rheumatology clinic of the Instituto Português de Reumatologia, were included in the study. From the total of RA patients, 463 (86%) were female and had 58,8 ± 13,2 years old. From the total of AO patients, 247 (88,5%) were female and had 59,9 ± 11 years old. From the total of RA patients 478 (88,8%), were exposed to corticotherapy and 101 practiced physical exercise. From the total of OA patients, 5 (1,8%) were exposed to corticotherapy and 32 (11,5%) practiced physical exercise. Anthropometric and body composition parameters were also evaluated and the presence of associated diseases, as diabetes, dyslipidaemia and hypertension, were also evaluated.Results: RA patients showed an average weight of 69 ± 13,6 kg and a BMI of 28,6 ± 5,4 kg/m. We verified that 10 (1,9%) had underweight, 130 (24,2%) had normal weight, 203 (37,7%) had overweight, 127 (23,6%) had type I obesity, 57 (10,6%) had type II obesity and 11 (2%) had type III obesity. From the total, 316 (58,7%) had a fat distribution ratio higher than 0,85 cm. From the 538 studied patients, 277 (52,9%) had an excess of fat mass, 193 (36,8%) had a normal percentage of fat mass and 4 (10,3%) had a low percentage of fat mass. From the total of the included RA patients, diabetes was present in 41 (7,6%) patients, dyslipidaemia in 88 (16,4%) and hypertension in 189 (35,1%). Only dyslipidaemia had a statistical value (p<0,001).OA patients showed an average weight of 77,4±14,5 kg and a BMI of 31,8±5,6 kg/m. We verified that 1 patient (0,36%) had underweight, 27 (9,7%) had normal weight, 85 (30,5%) had overweight, 99 (35,5%) had type I obesity, 41 (14,7%) had type II obesity, and 23 (8,2%) had type III obesity. From the 279 AO studied patients, 177 (71,1%) had a fat distribution ratio higher than 0,85 cm. From the total included patients, 150 (67,9%) had an excess of fat mass, 62 (28,1%) had normal percentage of fat mass and 9 (4%) had low percentage of fat mass. In relation to associated diseases, it was verified that 20 (7,2%) patients had type 2 diabetes, 69 (24,7%) had dyslipidaemia and 86 (30,8%) had hypertension. Only dyslipidaemia had statistical value (p<0,001).Conclusion: Comparing both groups, OA patients had, in average, more 8,4 kg of weight, 3,2 kg/m BMI, 4,7 cm in waist, 5,6 cm in hip, 5,7 kg de of fat mass and more dyslipidaemia.In both groups the majority of patients had overweight or obesity with BMI values higher than normal portuguese population. The presence of risk factors as dislipidemia and high fat distribution ratio contributes to the increase of mortality in RA patients. Nutritional intervention may contribute to the risk decrease, by loosing weight or by adopting healthy nutritional measures.Citation: Ann Rheum Dis, volume 64, supplement III, year 2005, page 218Session: Rheumatoid arthritis – Clinical aspects