Dietary Status in Albanian Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Background: Atherosclerosis in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) may be exacerbated by obesity. Aim: To investigate the dietary conditions of patients with RA. Methods: This cross-sectional study comprised 105 patients with RA in the department of Rheumatology of the University Hospital Centre: “Mother Theresa†, in Tirana, Albania. They were examined for demographic, medical activity and dietary conditions. Finally, we assessed the measurement of body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio; triceps skin fold measure (TSF) and its capability bicipital skin fold (BSF) and their sufficiency and arm muscle circumference (AMC) and its satisfactoriness. Allied studies of nominal records were done using Fisher and chi-square test. Unpaired Student t tests and Mann Whitney were applied for numerical data. The Spearman test was exploited for correlation estimates. Results: There were 13/105 men, 92/105 women included in the survey. The mean age was 53.2 ± 10.8 years and mean illness extent of 10.4 ± 7.51 years in the whole sample. The mean waist-hip percentage was 0.89 ± 0.08. Along with BMI 28.6 % had normal weight; 63.8 % an overall weight more than normal. In relation to BSF, 71.6 % were normal and 25.5 % had reduction of muscular mass; in proportion to TSF, 79.3% were normal and 15.2% diminished. Alliance of dietary variables with sex, rheumatoid factor, age, nodules, and illness activity demonstrated no dissimilarities (p = NS) apart from a lower waist/hip proportion in patients with nodules (p = 0.01) and a diffident correlation of TSF with malady length (p = 0.01; R = 0.18; 95% CI = 0.01 to 0.30). Conclusion: We discovered a high prevalence of overweight and obesity in patients with RA and a little occurrence of muscle diminution.