Guest commentary: Obesity has ‘complex’ effect on disease outcomes in axial spondyloarthropathy

Healio Rheumatology—December 20, 2017

Vivian P. Bykerk, BSc, MD, FRCPC, rheumatologist at HSS, authors a bylined article for Healio Rheumatology on the relationship between obesity and disease outcomes in axial spondyloarthropathy. Dr. Bykerk looks at results from a recent study and notes that it can be a chicken and egg problem. She writes that if patients are overweight or obese, they tend to feel worse, and that will factor into the outcome measure. This raises the question: are we measuring only that patients don't feel well - or is obesity contributing to pain? 

She cites a recent study that she performed at HSS that examined patients with early RA where she saw similar results. Patients who were obese were 50% less likely to achieve remission.

Dr. Bykerk adds that what is still unknown is how much weight a patient needs to lose in order to change the outcomes related to rheumatologic disease. There's no data yet that can be shared with patients. 

Read the full article at Healio.com.