Patient demographics, treatment, and disease assessment. Categorical variables were analysed using Pearson Chi-squared tests; continuous variables were analysed using one-way analysis of variance. Statistical significance was considered at P < 0.05
| Variable | Normal/overweight BMI < 30 kg/m2(n = 97) | Obese class 1BMI 30–35 kg/m2(n = 23) | Obese class 2BMI 35-40 kg/m2(n = 15) | Obese class 3BMI > 40 kg/m2(n = 15) | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean age (SD) | 61 (13) | 61 (12) | 59 (10) | 58 (7) | NS |
| Female, n (%) | 74 (76) | 21 (91) | 12 (80) | 13 (87) | |
| Smoking status, n (%) | |||||
| Never | 38 (39) | 16 (70) | 8 (53) | 5 (33) | NS |
| Current | 22 (23) | 1 (4) | 1 (7) | 3 (20) | |
| Former | 23 (24) | 3 (13) | 5 (33) | 4 (27) | |
| Unknown | 14 (14) | 3 (13) | 1 (7) | 3 (20) | |
| Alcohol use, n (%) | |||||
| Never | 27 (28) | 6 (26) | 7 (47) | 5 (33.3) | NS |
| Current | 48 (49) | 13 (57) | 7 (47) | 5 (33.3) | |
| Unknown | 22 (23) | 4 (17) | 1 (7) | 5 (33.3) | |
| RF, n (%) | |||||
| Positive | 66 (68) | 11 (48) | 11 (73) | 8 (53) | < 0.001 |
| Negative | 19 (20) | 11 (48) | 4 (27) | 7 (47) | |
| Unknown | 12 (12) | 1 (4) | 0 | 0 | |
| Anti-CCP, n (%) | |||||
| Positive | 53 (55) | 12 (52) | 7 (47) | 10 (67) | NS |
| Negative | 25 (26) | 9 (39) | 7 (47) | 3 (20) | |
| Unknown | 19 (20) | 2 (9) | 1 (7) | 2 (13) | |
| DAS28, Mean (SD) | 3.5 (1.6) | 2.7 (1.1) | 4.5 (1.4) | 4.9 (1.4) | < 0.001 |
| DAS28 remission, n (%) | 33/94 (35) | 7/15 (47) | 1/13 (8) | 0/12 (0) | 0.011 |
| ESR, mean (SD) | 17 (16) | 10 (6) | 30 (24) | 30 (29) | < 0.001 |
| CRP, mean (SD) | 11 (11) | 5 (4) | 13 (13) | 11 (7) | 0.008 |
| Global VAS, mean (SD) | 46 (24) | 42 (24) | 58 (15) | 61 (17) | NS |
| (b/ts)DMARD n (%) | |||||
| JAKi | 28 (29) | 3 (13) | 8 (53) | 4 (27) | NS |
| TNFi | 33 (34) | 9 (39) | 1 (7) | 6 (40) | |
| RTX | 20 (21) | 6 (26) | 3 (20) | 4 (27) | |
| IL6i | 5 (5) | 3 (13) | 1 (7) | 0 | |
| ABA | 5 (5) | 2 (9) | 2 (20) | 0 | |
| Treatment pause | 6 (6) | 0 | 0 | 1 (7) | |
| Plus csDMARD n (%) | |||||
| Yes | 31 (32) | 18 (78) | 9 (60) | 12 (80) | NS |
| Previous (b/ts)DMARD n (%) | |||||
| 0 | 57 (59) | 8 (35) | 9 (60) | 7 (47) | NS |
| 1 | 22 (23) | 8 (35) | 5 (33) | 5 (33) | |
| ≥ 2 | 18 (19) | 7 (30) | 1 (7) | 3 (20) | |
| Comorbidities, n (%) | |||||
| Type 2 diabetes | 9 (9) | 4 (17) | 5 (33) | 3 (20) | NS |
| Fibromyalgia | 6 (6) | 0 | 1 (7) | 1 (7) | |
| Hypertension | 11 (11) | 2 (9) | 4 (27) | 4 (27) | |
| Osteoarthritis | 21 (22) | 2 (9) | 3 (20) | 3 (20) | |
ABA: abatacept; BMI: body mass index; (b/ts)DMARD: biologic/targeted systemic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug; csDMARD: conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug; CCP: cyclic citrullinated peptide; IL-6i: interleukin-6 inhibitor; JAKi Janus kinase inhibitors; MOA: mechanism of action; NS: non-significant; RF: rheumatoid factor; RTX: rituximab; SD: standard deviation; TNFi: tumour necrosis factor inhibitor; DAS28: disease activity score 28 joints; ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate; CRP: C-reactive protein; VAS: visual analogue scale