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Improvement of inflammation and pain after three months’ exclusion diet in Rheumatoid Arthritis patients
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a persistent autoimmune condition that impacts synovial joints, causing substantial disability. Various lifestyle and environmental factors, like diet, are believed to influence RA onset and severity. Altering one’s diet may offer relief from RA symptoms by reducing inflammation and potentially alleviating pain. In this study by Guagnano et al. (2021) involving 40 patients with longstanding RA who were receiving conventional and biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and experiencing stable symptoms, the impact of a three-month diet devoid of meat, gluten, and lactose (referred to as a “privative diet”) was compared to a control diet containing these components. Owing to the fact that all participants were overweight or obese, the dietary regimens aimed to facilitate weight loss. Patients were randomly assigned to either the privative diet or the control diet. Study participants submitted the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). At the same time, the Disease Activity Score of 28 joints (DAS 28) and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain were used to evaluate RA symptoms clinically. Blood samples were collected at the beginning of the study for laboratory tests and adipokine measurements, and anthropometric measurements were recorded. Study participants were reevaluated at the end of the three-month dietary intervention. Analysis of the results indicated a notable reduction in pain levels (measured by VAS) and an enhancement in overall physical and mental well-being (assessed via SF-36) among patients following the privative diet. Both dietary plans improved quality of life compared to baseline, but the change was statistically significant only in the group following the privative diet. Regardless of the diet followed, participants experienced significant reductions in body mass index, body weight, waist and hip circumference, lower basal glucose, and lower circulating leptin levels. Moreover, the privative diet was associated with decreases in the number of circulating leukocytes and neutrophils, significant reductions in systolic and diastolic arterial pressure, and levels of hs-C-Reactive Protein after three months. The authors conclude that their results suggest that adhering to a privative diet may lead to better inflammation control in RA patients who are receiving stable, optimized drug treatment. [NPID: Bioimpedance analysis, dietary regimen, inflammation, leptin, exclusion diet, pain, rheumatoid arthritis]
Year: 2021
