Obesity May Influence Rheumatoid Arthritis Blood Tests

New research reveals that in women, obesity may influence blood tests used to diagnose and monitor rheumatoid arthritis. The findings indicate that physicians need to take obesity into account when using these tests.

Obesity may influence blood tests used to diagnose and monitor rheumatoid arthritis. Image credit: tasnimnews.com (CC BY 4.0)

Blood tests for C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) can help physicians assess levels of inflammation in the body. The tests may be used for diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis and for determining how well treatment is working in affected patients.

Because some studies have found links between higher levels of CRP and ESR with greater body mass index (BMI), Michael George, MD MSCE, of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, and his colleagues sought to determine the extent to which obesity biases these markers.

The researchers analyzed information on 2,103 individuals with rheumatoid arthritis and compared it with data from the general population.

Among women with rheumatoid arthritis and in the general population, greater BMI was associated with greater CRP, especially among women with severe obesity. There was also a modest association between obesity and ESR in women.

These links were also seen in men in the general population, but the connection between obesity and inflammation was different in men with rheumatoid arthritis. In these individuals, lower BMI was associated with greater CRP and ESR.

This finding may be important for understanding the relationship between weight and inflammation and how it may differ between men and women.

Dr. George noted that physicians need to be careful when interpreting these lab tests since both rheumatoid arthritis and obesity can contribute to levels of inflammation. (Tasnim News Agency)

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Heart disease risk begins in the womb

Offspring whose mothers had a complicated pregnancy may be at greater risk of heart disease in later life, according to a new study in sheep. The research, led by a team at the University of Cambridge, suggests that our cards may be marked even before we are born.

Anti-inflammatory Drugs Also Fight Depression

Drugs that are used to treat a number of autoimmune diseases appear to treat symptoms of depression as well. The finding of a new study suggests that anti-inflammatories, as they are known, may take their place alongside conventional treatments to help people with depression.

Salty Diet Makes You Hungry, Not Thirsty

New studies show that salty food diminishes thirst while increasing hunger, due to a higher need for energy.

Infants Are Able to Learn Abstract Rules Visually

For the first time, the researchers show that 3- and 4-month-old infants can successfully detect visual patterns and generalize them to new sequences.

Protein Discovery Could Help Heal Bones in Diabetics

Scientists have discovered that a protein that plays a crucial role in healing broken bones is not fully functional in diabetics. By applying the protein directly to fractured bones, researchers showed they could improve the healing and strength of bones in diabetics.

‘Energetic Cancer Cells’ May Be Origin of Cancer Spread

Researchers claim to have found a particular type of cancer cell that is more dangerous than others, and it might be at the origin of how cancer spreads and grows.