Body Mass Index, Weight Loss, and Cause-Specific Mortality in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To examine associations of body mass index (BMI) and weight loss with cause-specific mortality in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods

A cohort of US veterans with RA was followed until death or through 2013. BMI was categorized as underweight, normal, overweight, and obese. Weight loss was calculated as the 1) annualized rate of change over the preceding 13 months, and 2) cumulative percent. Vital status and cause of death were obtained from the National Death Index. Multivariable competing-risks regression models were utilized to assess the time-varying associations of BMI and weight loss with cause-specific mortality.

Results

Among 1,600 participants and 5,789 patient-years of followup, 303 deaths occurred (95 cardiovascular, 74 cancer, and 46 respiratory).

SUBMITTER: England BR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5650561 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature