title: Effects of disease modifying agents and dietary intervention on insulin resistance and dyslipidemia in inflammatory arthritis: a pilot study.
abstract: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) experience excess cardiovascular disease (CVD). We investigated the effects of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) and dietary intervention on CVD risk in inflammatory arthritis. Twenty-two patients (17 women; 15 with RA and seven with spondyloarthropathy) who were insulin resistant (n = 20), as determined by the Homeostasis Model Assessment, and/or were dyslipidemic (n = 11) were identified. During the third month after initiation of DMARD therapy, body weight, C-reactive protein (CRP), insulin resistance, and lipids were re-evaluated. Results are expressed as median (interquartile range). DMARD therapy together with dietary intervention was associated with weight loss of 4 kg (0-6.5 kg), a decrease in CRP of 14% (6-36%; P < 0.006), and a reduction in insulin resistance of 36% (26-61%; P < 0.006). Diet compliers (n = 15) experienced decreases of 10% (0-20%) and 3% (0-9%) in total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, respectively, as compared with increases of 9% (6-20%; P < 0.05) and 3% (0-9%; P < 0.05) in diet noncompliers. Patients on methotrexate (n = 14) experienced a reduction in CRP of 27 mg/l (6-83 mg/l), as compared with a decrease of 10 mg/l (3.4-13 mg/l; P = 0.04) in patients not on methotrexate. Improved cardiovascular risk with DMARD therapy includes a reduction in insulin resistance. Methotrexate use in RA may improve CVD risk through a marked suppression of the acute phase response. Dietary intervention prevented the increase in total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol upon acute phase response suppression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Johannesburg Hospital, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. Dessein@lancet.co.za
authors.forename: Patrick H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Dessein
authors.forename: Barry I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Joffe
authors.forename: Anne E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Stanwix
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004035:Diet Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012307:Risk Factors; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D008727:Methotrexate