A new study published in RMD Open has revealed that individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are significantly more likely to experience cognitive impairment. The study, which involved 70 RA patients and 70 matched healthy controls, showed that 60% of RA patients scored below the threshold for cognitive impairment on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), compared to 40% of the control group. This cognitive decline was most pronounced in visuospatial-executive function, memory and abstraction.
Researchers at Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Spain, where the study was conducted, observed that the severity of cognitive impairment in RA patients was closely linked to the levels of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). These markers are known to be elevated in patients with high disease activity. The study found that the average Disease Activity Score (DAS28), a measure of RA activity, was significantly higher in patients with cognitive impairment. This suggests that sustained inflammation may play a direct role in the deterioration of cognitive function.
In addition to inflammation, the study identified several other factors associated with cognitive impairment in RA patients. These included older age, lower educational levels, and comorbid conditions such as obesity, dyslipidemia, and arterial hypertension. The study’s multivariate analysis showed that obesity, in particular, was strongly linked to an increased risk of cognitive impairment, with an odds ratio of nearly 6. This highlights the importance of managing these comorbid conditions to reduce the risk of cognitive decline in RA patients.
The findings also raise important questions about the role of RA treatments in cognitive health. While the study focused on patients who had not yet received biological therapies, the researchers suggest that future studies should explore how different RA treatments might influence cognitive outcomes. Given the association between chronic inflammation and cognitive decline, there is a potential for anti-inflammatory treatments to mitigate this risk.
In conclusion, this study adds to the growing body of evidence that RA is not just a joint disease but a systemic condition that can affect multiple aspects of health, including cognitive function. As the link between inflammation and cognitive decline becomes clearer, healthcare providers may need to rethink their approach to treating RA, focusing not only on joint health but also on preserving cognitive function. The study’s findings underscore the importance of controlling inflammation and managing comorbidities to protect cognitive health in patients with RA.
Disclosures: This article was created by the touchIMMUNOLOGY team utilizing AI as an editorial tool (ChatGPT (GPT-4o) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat.) The content was developed and edited by human editors. No funding was received in the publication of this article.
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