Common Blood Fat to Increased Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Women: Study Reveals

New Delhi: A new study suggests that elevated triglyceride levels — the most common type of fat in the blood — could be a modifiable risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in women. Published in BMC Women's Health, the study sheds light on a potential metabolic contributor to the autoimmune disease, which disproportionately affects women.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory condition that primarily targets the joints, causing pain, swelling, stiffness, and, in severe cases, deformities and loss of function. Although its exact causes remain unclear, growing evidence links inflammation and metabolic factors to the disease.

Triglycerides, known markers of lipid metabolism, are closely associated with systemic inflammation and metabolic dysfunction. However, the connection between triglyceride levels and rheumatoid arthritis in women has not been well established until now.

To explore this association, researchers from Suining Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Sichuan, China, analysed health data from 10,728 women collected between 1999 and 2018. Of these, 639 were diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

The results showed a significant positive correlation between high triglyceride levels and the prevalence of RA in these women. Even after adjusting for potential confounding factors such as age, BMI, and other health indicators, the association remained statistically significant.

“Our findings suggest that elevated triglycerides may act as a modifiable risk factor in women with rheumatoid arthritis,” said lead researcher Chang-Mei Zeng. “Monitoring and managing triglyceride levels through lifestyle interventions or medications could potentially reduce inflammation and improve long-term outcomes for these patients.”

The researchers also emphasized the complexity of RA in women, often influenced by hormonal fluctuations, differences in immune responses, and metabolic imbalances. These factors highlight the need for more sex-specific research to enhance disease prevention and management.

The study concludes with a call for further investigations into how triglyceride levels may influence RA development and progression, potentially opening doors to new therapeutic strategies.