2021 Volume 33 Issue 1 Pages 70-77
Purpose: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis（RA）show a lower muscle mass than healthy individuals. There have been no reports about prevalence, incidence rate, or predictors of sarcopenia in patients with RA. These were investigated by cross sectional and longitudinal methods of the cohort study.
Methods: 100 patients（disease duration 5.5 years age 68 years and DAS28-ESR 3.55）enrolled in the prospective CHIKARA study underwent examinations of body composition. These were measured by a body composition analyzer. Sarcopenia was diagnosed using the criteria of the Asia Working Group on Sarcopenia. Prevalence, incidence rate and predictors were investigated by enrolled data and 1-year follow-up data.
Results: The prevalence of sarcopenia was 28%. Low body mass index, high body fat mass, and high matrix metalloproteinase 3（MMP-3）represented independent risk factors of sarcopenia on logistic multivariate analysis. The incidence rate was 13% during the 1-year follow-up. Sarcopenia development was significantly associated with age, average glucocorticoid over 3.25mg/day use, body mass index, body fat percentage change of CRP on univariate analysis. Average glucocorticoid over 3.25mg/day use was a significant predictor on ROC curve and multivariate analysis.
Conclusions: Average yearly glucocorticoid over 3.25mg/day was one of predictor of sarcopenia development after 1 year. Reduction or withdrawal of glucocorticoid may be important to prevent sarcopenia.
