Nearly one-quarter of patients with long-standing rheumatoid arthritis who participated in a recent survey reported that their diets affect their RA symptoms.
Of 217 participants with a median disease duration of 17 years, 52 (24%) reported that certain foods either improve or worsen symptoms. Foods most commonly associated with improved symptoms were blueberries (11.1%), fish (10.9%), and spinach; foods most commonly associated with exacerbated symptoms were desserts (12.7%) and soda with sugar (12.4%, ), Sara K. Tedeschi, MD, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, and her colleagues reported online in Arthritis Care & Research.
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Participants came from a single-center RA registry (the Brigham RA Sequential Study, or BRASS) at a large academic center and were surveyed between May 2015 and December 2015. They were asked about the effects of 20 different foods that have been popularized as “inflammatory” or “anti-inflammatory” and about the effects of four lifestyle/environment factors. Most (83%) were women, and 58% were using a biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug.
The findings indicate that there is substantial patient interest in the effects of diet on RA symptoms and highlight the need for prospective studies on the topic, the investigators concluded. While strong conclusions cannot be drawn based on this survey, further study regarding a potential link between sugar consumption and inflammation is warranted.
Dr. Tedeschi’s work on this project was supported by the National Institutes of Health. The Brigham RA Sequential Study received funding from UCB, Crescendo Biosciences, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Amgen, and DxTerity.