Weight Gain in Seropositive Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Treated With Anti-tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) Therapy.

Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis and its treatment have different effects on weight gain. This study examined the effect of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors on weight gain in patients with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis compared with non-TNF therapy and disease activity. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted in Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Hospital for all patients aged ≥ 18-year-old diagnosed with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis and started on TNF inhibitors or non-TNF biologics in outpatient clinics since 2015. Patients were excluded if they were pregnant, had an uncontrolled underlying metabolic disease, were post-bariatric, or had a history of malabsorption. We also excluded individuals on treatment for congestive heart failure or end-stage renal disease. Results A total of 116 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were reviewed between 2015 and 2019. Only 69 patients met the inclusion criteria (51 and 18) in the TNF-a (alpha) and non-TNF-a inhibitor groups, respectively. The weight change from pre-treatment to post-treatment showed an average increase of 1.2 kg (95% CI: -0.68-3.17) in the TNF-a inhibitor group while in the non- TNF-a inhibitor group, the average increase in weight was 2.67 kg (95% CI: -0.44-5.78). Over the period of two years, there was no statistical difference in weight gain in both groups or in relation to disease activity. Conclusion The results of this study did not show a significant increase in weight gain in seropositive patients with rheumatoid arthritis who were treated with TNF or non-TNF inhibitors.

Fatigue severity in anti-nuclear antibody-positive individuals does not correlate with pro-inflammatory cytokine levels or predict imminent progression to symptomatic disease.

BACKGROUND: Fatigue is a common symptom of systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease (SARD). Patients with SARD have a protracted pre-clinical phase during which progressive immunologic derangements occur culminating in disease. In this study, we sought to determine when fatigue develops and whether its presence correlates with inflammatory factors or predicts disease progression. METHODS: Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA)-negative healthy controls (HCs) and ANA-positive participants with no criteria, at least one clinical criteria (undifferentiated connective tissue disease, UCTD), or meeting SARD classification criteria were recruited. Fatigue was assessed using a modified version of the FACIT-F questionnaire and the presence of fibromyalgia determined using a questionnaire based on the modified 2010 ACR criteria. Peripheral blood expression of five IFN-induced genes was quantified by NanoString and the levels of IL-1ß, IL-6, or TNF-α by ELISA. RESULTS: Fatigue was as prevalent and severe in individuals lacking SARD criteria as it was in UCTD and SARD. Overall, ~ 1/3 of ANA+ subjects met fibromyalgia criteria, with no differences between sub-groups. Although fatigue was more severe in these individuals, those lacking fibromyalgia remained significantly more fatigued than ANA- HC. However, even in these subjects, fatigue correlated with the widespread pain index and symptom severity scores on the fibromyalgia questionnaire. Fatigue was not associated with elevated cytokine levels in any of the ANA+ sub-groups and did not predict imminent disease progression. CONCLUSIONS: Fatigue is common in ANA+ individuals lacking sufficient criteria for a SARD diagnosis, correlates with fibromyalgia-related symptoms, and is not associated with inflammation or predictive of disease progression.

Takayasu's arteritis and liver transplantation: Association and implications.

We present a 37-year-old lady who had liver transplantation for hepatitis B cirrhosis and was on immune suppressive treatment consisting of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and tacrolimus. She presented with undue fatigue and recurring pain in both arms. The diagnosis of Takayasu's arteritis was made, supported by angiographic findings of significant stenosis of the left subclavian and both renal arteries. She was managed by adjusting the immune suppressive medications and underwent a successful percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty (PTBA).