biostudies-literatureMarchand NENHLBI NIH HHSNCI NIH HHSNational Institutes of HealthNIAMS NIH HHS1430-1439https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8996781biostudies-literatureUnknown61(4)<h4>Objective</h4>To examine the association of long-term weight change with RA risk in a large prospective cohort study.<h4>Methods</h4>The Nurses' Health Study II started in 1989 (baseline); after exclusions, we studied 108 505 women 25-42 years old without RA. Incident RA was reported by participants and confirmed by medical record review. Body weight was reported biennially through 2015. We investigated two time-varying exposures: weight changes from baseline and from age 18; change was divided into five categories. We used a marginal structural model approach to account for time-varying weight change and covariates.<h4>Results</h4>Over 2 583 266 person-years, with a median follow-up time of 25.3 years, 541 women developed RA. Compared with women with stable weight from baseline, weight change was significantly associated with increased RA risk [weight gain 2-<10 kg: RR = 1.98 (95% CI 1.38, 2.85); 10-<20 kg: RR = 3.28 (95% CI 2.20, 4.89); ≥20 kg: RR = 3.81 (95% CI 2.39, 6.07); and weight loss >2 kg: RR = 2.05 (95% CI 1.28, 3.28)]. Weight gain of 10 kg or more from age 18 compared with stable weight was also associated with increased RA risk [10-< 20 kg: RR = 2.12 (95% CI 1.37, 3.27), ≥20 kg: RR = 2.31 (95% CI 1.50, 3.56)]. Consistent findings were observed for seropositive and seronegative RA.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Long-term weight gain was strongly associated with increased RA risk in women, with weight gain of ≥20 kg associated with more than a three-fold increased RA risk. Maintenance of healthy weight may be a strategy to prevent or delay RA.Rheumatology (Oxford, England)Long-term weight changes and risk of rheumatoid arthritis among women in a prospective cohort: a marginal structural model approach.PMC8996781K23 AR069688AR047782AR049880U01 CA176726R01 AR059073R01 AR049880R01 AR061362AR071326AR059073AR069688U01 HL145386AR061362U01P60 AR047782R01 AR071326UM1 CA186107Sparks JAPrisco LHu FKarlson EWMarchand NEZhang XCostenbader KMalspeis SYoshida KLu BfalseLong-term weight changes and risk of rheumatoid arthritis among women in a prospective cohort: a marginal structural model approach.<h4>Objective</h4>To examine the association of long-term weight change with RA risk in a large prospective cohort study.<h4>Methods</h4>The Nurses' Health Study II started in 1989 (baseline); after exclusions, we studied 108 505 women 25-42 years old without RA. Incident RA was reported by participants and confirmed by medical record review. Body weight was reported biennially through 2015. We investigated two time-varying exposures: weight changes from baseline and from age 18; change was divided into five categories. We used a marginal structural model approach to account for time-varying weight change and covariates.<h4>Results</h4>Over 2 583 266 person-years, with a median follow-up time of 25.3 years, 541 women developed RA. Compared with women with stable weight from baseline, weight change was significantly associated with increased RA risk [weight gain 2-<10 kg: RR = 1.98 (95% CI 1.38, 2.85); 10-<20 kg: RR = 3.28 (95% CI 2.20, 4.89); ≥20 kg: RR = 3.81 (95% CI 2.39, 6.07); and weight loss >2 kg: RR = 2.05 (95% CI 1.28, 3.28)]. Weight gain of 10 kg or more from age 18 compared with stable weight was also associated with increased RA risk [10-< 20 kg: RR = 2.12 (95% CI 1.37, 3.27), ≥20 kg: RR = 2.31 (95% CI 1.50, 3.56)]. Consistent findings were observed for seropositive and seronegative RA.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Long-term weight gain was strongly associated with increased RA risk in women, with weight gain of ≥20 kg associated with more than a three-fold increased RA risk. Maintenance of healthy weight may be a strategy to prevent or delay RA.2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Apr2024-02-15T11:43:55.068Z2022-07-23T10:51:53.964ZS-EPMC89967813424724210.1093/rheumatology/keab535