WEIGHT-REDUCTION IN OBESE PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS, WITH PRESERVATION OF BODY CELL MASS AND IMPROVEMENT OF PHYSICAL-FITNESS

Objective. To reduce body weight in obese patients with rheumatoid art hritis (RA) without loss of body cell mass (BCM) and without impairmen t of physical performance. Methods. Nineteen overweight RA patients we re studied before, during, and after a 12-week weight reducing regime consisting of reduced dietary energy intake, supplemented with a high- protein-low-energy powder preparation, and moderate physical training. Body composition was measured by a four compartment method, which by combining determinations of total body water and total body potassium allows a distinction between the two variable components of fat free m ass (FFM): BCM and extracellular water (ECW). Physical fitness was mea sured by a bicycle exercise test. Results. Mean weight loss during the study was 4.5 kg. The patients lost 9% of their initial fat mass, 3% of initial BCM and 5% of initial ECW. Physical fitness was slightly, b ut significantly, improved. Conclusion. The regime described was succe ssful in achieving a significant weight loss with minimal loss of BCM and maintenane of physical fitness.