Many studies have shown that significant weight loss after enduring weight loss surgery is associated with improved disease control, less inflammation in the body and a decrease for the need of medication for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). One study by Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston showed that after just one year following surgery, the patients studied average weight loss was 90 pounds, a mean loss of 70% of one’s excess weight. With this weight loss came a significant improvement in one’s RA symptoms.
The study found that after 6 month post-op, these patients averaged a weight loss of 70 pounds. Only about 6% of all patients followed saw moderate or high RA disease activity just one year following bariatric surgery. The study was published online in Arthritis Care and Research journal.
At the most recent follow-up with these study participants, nearly 74% of patients were in remission compared to 26% at the baseline (onset of the study). “Results suggest that bariatric surgery might significantly reduce the need for RA-related medications and even induce long-term remission requiring no medications in some patients,” Jeffrey A. Sparks of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and colleagues wrote.
This study followed 53 RA patients who had gastric sleeve, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding or any other absorption-limiting gastric procedures between 2000 and 2012. The majority of the patients studied endured gastric bypass surgery.
The average age of those studied was 47.9 with 94% female and 72% White. All patients were initially obese with an average body mass index of 47.9 Patients have had RA for an average of 8.5 years and 40% had evidence of bone erosion. Nearly 25% had asthma or Type II Diabetes too.
The study found that markers of inflammation decreased as weight loss increased. The C-reactive protein decreased from about 26.1 mg/L at the start of the study to 5.9 mg/L at one year. The need for medication also decreased with just 59% of patients taking a medication a year after surgery compared to 93% at the beginning of the study.
The study’s authors understand that some of the health improvements may not have been a result of changes with the disease itself, but because of the decreased inflammation in the body because of weight loss. Despite the impact of weight loss because of enduring weight loss surgery, more controlled studied need to be done in order to substantiate the claims made in this study.
The research for this cohorted study was supported by the National Institutes of Health as wella s the Rheumatology Research Foundation. Sparks received the Rheumatology Research Foundation Scientist Development Award as well as the National Institutes of Health Loan Repayment Award as a result of this study.