Nutritional assessment in rheumatoid arthritis

• Published in: South African medical journal Vol. 76; no. 6; pp. 255 - 257
• Main Authors: MODY, G. M, BROWN, G. M, MEYERS, O. L, REINACH, S. G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pinelands Medical Association of South Africa 16.09.1989
• Subjects: Adult; African Americans; African Continental Ancestry Group; Aged; Anthropometry; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - complications; Biological and medical sciences; Body Weight; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; European Continental Ancestry Group; Female; Humans; Inflammatory joint diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nutrition Disorders - complications; Nutritional Status; Obesity - complications; South Africa; Tropical medicine; South Africa; Human; Obesity; Chronic; Rheumatoid arthritis; Africa; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; South Africa; Inflammatory joint disease; Malnutrition; Nutritional status
• ISSN: 0256-9574

The nutritional status was assessed in a group of 220 patients with rheumatoid arthritis from three communities (coloured 89 patients, white 88 and black 43). The triceps skinfold (TSF) thickness, upper arm muscle circumference (UAMC), body mass index (BMI) and percentage of ideal body weight (% IBW) were measured and the serum albumin value determined. The mean age of the coloured patients was 49.8 years, white 57.7 years and black 44.8 years. Forty-five patients (20.5%) had a reduction of one or more anthropometric measurements (TSF, UAMC and/or %IBW) and a further 6 patients (2.7%) had a reduction of the serum albumin value alone. These 51 patients were considered to be malnourished and had a higher mean erythrocyte sedimentation rate and more severe functional disability than the remainder of the patients. The prevalence of malnutrition was lower if diagnosed only on abnormality of the TSF, UAMC and %IBW, since 25 patients (11.4%) had a reduction of only one measurement, 12 (5.5%) had a reduction of 2 and 8 (3.6%) had a reduction of all three measurements. Obesity (BMI greater than 30) was noted in 10.5% and there were no differences in the functional disability, disease activity and use of steroid therapy in the obese patients compared with the rest of the patients.