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Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-28T18:56:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-12-01 Objective: To investigate whether body mass index (BMI), as a proxy for body fat, influences rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity in a gender-specific manner. Methods: Consecutive patients with RA were enrolled from 25 countries into the QUEST-RA program between 2005 and 2008. Clinical and demographic data were collected by treating rheumatologists and by patient self-report. Distributions of Disease Activity Scores (DAS28), BMI, age, and disease duration were assessed for each country and for the entire dataset; mean values between genders were compared using Student's t-tests. An association between BMI and DAS28 was investigated using linear regression, adjusting for age, disease duration and country. Results: A total of 5,161 RA patients (4,082 women and 1,079 men) were included in the analyses. Overall, women were younger, had longer disease duration, and higher DAS28 scores than men, but BMI was similar between genders. The mean DAS28 scores increased with increasing BMI from normal to overweight and obese, among women, whereas the opposite trend was observed among men. Regression results showed BMI (continuous or categorical) to be associated with DAS28. Compared to the normal BMI range, being obese was associated with a larger difference in mean DAS28 (0.23, 95% CI: 0.11, 0.34) than being overweight (0.12, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.21); being underweight was not associated with disease activity. These associations were more pronounced among women, and were not explained by any single component of the DAS28. Conclusion: BMI appears to be associated with RA disease activity in women, but not in men. © Copyright Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology 2010. University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA North Karelia Central Hospital, Joensuu Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza Universidade Estadual de São Paulo, São Paulo Hospital Universitário de Brasília, Brasilia University of Ioannina Ioannina Waterford Regional Hospital, Waterford Connolly Hospital, Dublin University of Genova, Genova Rheumatology Department, Pristine Institute of Experimental and Clinical Medicine Vilnius University, Vilnius University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht Jyväskylä Central Hospital, Jyväskylä Medcare Oy, Äänekoski Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, CA Hospital San Juan Bautista, Catamarca Hospital of Cordoba, Cordoba Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro Riverside Professional Centre, Sydney, NS Copenhagen University Hospital at Hvidovre, Hvidovre King Christian the Xth Hospital, Gråsten Copenhagen University Hospital at Herlev, Herlev Al-Azhar University, Cairo Assiut University Hospital, Assiut Abo Sohage University Hospital, Sohage Tartu University Hospital, Tartu East-Tallinn Central Hospital, Tallinn Centre for Clinical and Basic Research, Tallinn Satakunta Central Hospital, Rauma University René Descartes Hôpital Cochin, Paris Dijon University Hospital University of Burgundy INSERM U887, Dijon Hôpital Lapeyronie, Montpellier Hôpital Hautepierre, Strasbourg School of Medicine National University of Athens, Athens Euroclinic Hospital, Athens Evangelisches Fachkrankenhaus, Ratingen Schlosspark-Klinik, Berlin University Medicine Berlin, Berlin Semmelweis University of Medical Sciences, Budapest Ilona Újfalussy Polyclinic of the Hospitaller Brothers of St. John of God in Budapest, Budapest St. Vincent University Hospital, Dublin Our Lady's Hospice, Dublin Department of Immunology, Lucknow Vedanta Institiute of Medical Sciences, Ahmedabad Department of Immunology Jaipur Hospital Santa Chiara Hospital, Pisa Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome University of Ancona, Ancona Institute of Rheumatology Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo Department of Rheumatology Kyoto First Red Cross Hospital, Kyoto Shono Rheumatism Clinic, Fukuoka Kenyatta Hospital, Nairobi Pauls Stradina Clinical University Hospital, Riga Kaunas University Hospital, Kaunas El Ayachi Hospital Mohamed Vth Souissi University, Rabat Sint Franciscus Gasthuis Hospital, Rotterdam Medisch Spectrum Twente, Enschede Sørlandet Hospital, Kristiansand Medical University in Bialystok, Bialystok Medical University of Lublin, Lublin Poznan Rheumatology Centre in Srem, Srem Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw Silesian Hospital for Rheumatology and Rehabilitation in Ustron Slaski, Ustroñ Slaski Szpital Wojewodzki im. Jana Biziela, Bydgoszcz Wojewodzki Zespol Reumatologiczny im. dr Jadwigi Titz-Kosko, Sopot Spitalul Clinic Sf Maria, Bucharest Institute of Rheumatology of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow Moscow Medical Academy, Moscow Russian Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Moscow Rheumatology Institut, Niska Banja Hospital de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrin, Las Palmas Hospital Sierrallana Ganzo, Torrelavega Hospital General de Castellón, Castellón Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala Centrallasarettet, Västerås Hudiksvall Medical Clinic, Hudiksvall Gazi University Medical Faculty, Ankara Meram Medical Faculty, Konya Cerrahpasa Medic Faculty, Istanbul Dubai Bone and Joint Centre, Dubai American Hospital Dubai, Dubai Charing Cross Hospital, London Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro Kings College Hospital, London Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, New York, NY Taylor Hospital, Ridley Park, PA Centra Care Clinic, St. Cloud, MN University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR New York University Hospital for Joint Diseases, New York, NY Universidade Estadual de São Paulo, São Paulo