Sarcopenia, a hidden comorbidity of established rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

This editorial, “Sarcopenia: a hidden comorbidity of established rheumatoid arthritis” emphasizes the critical role of addressing comorbidities in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management, focusing particularly on the clinical impact of sarcopenia. The first section highlights how advances in treating immune-mediated rheumatic diseases have improved RA management but also underscore the increasing necessity to integrate comorbidity management to enhance patient outcomes. The second part focused into sarcopenia as a significant yet overlooked comorbidity in RA, discussing its prevalence, impact on life quality, and the complexities of its diagnosis and management. The editorial advocates for a multidisciplinary approach involving rheumatologists, nurses, and primary care physicians to effectively tackle this issue. A call to action from scientific societies is suggested to raise awareness among healthcare professionals about sarcopenia, aiming to improve care for RA patients.

Keywords

Sarcopenia / rheumatoid arthritis / comorbidity / multidisciplinary management / clinical impact / treatment

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