The impact of obesity on the development and progression of rheumatoid arthritis

摘要

Three independent studies examine the impact of obesity on rheumatoid arthritis (RA), either as a risk factor for the development of disease or as a prognostic factor for the severity of disease. Interestingly, these studies have investigated the role of obesity at different stages of the disease, ranging from the 'preclinical phase', to the early RA period, to the established disease stage.This is important, as the role played by environmental factors may vary according to disease stage. An example of the evolving impact of environmental factors during the course of the disease is provided by tobacco smoke, which is the best established risk factor for RA disease development and associated with the development of severe extra-articular manifestations, but which may have a protective effect on the progression of joint damage in later stages of the disease.