Arthritis-induced anorexia and muscle wasting

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic inflammatory disease that destroys articular cartilage and bone and leads to joint damage. Cachexia is common in rheumatoid arthritis patients and is called rheumatoid cachexia, characterized by a reduction in muscle mass with body fat gain and stable or slightly increased body weight. Loss of muscle mass in rheumatoid cachexia leads to weakness, loss of independence, and increased risk of death. Muscle atrophy seems to be secondary to an increase in muscle proteolysis, but not to a decrease in myogenesis. A variety of factors are involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid cachexia, including excessive cytokine production, physical inactivity, hormone deficit modifications, and glucocorticoid treatment. In this chapter, we summarize the mediators involved in the increase in fat mass and skeletal muscle wasting observed in rheumatoid arthritis patients.