Nutritional therapy for sarcopenia in rheumatoid arthritis patients

  • YANG Dongming ,
  • LI Huilin
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  • a. Department of Nutrition; b. Department of Nephrology / Rheumatology & Immunology, Shanghai Pudong Gongli Hospital, Shanghai 200135, China

Received date: 2024-11-20

  Online published: 2026-04-08

Copyright

, 2025, Copyright reserved © 2025.

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis complicated with sarcopenia is common in clinical practice, and incidence of sarcopenia is high among patients with rheumatoid arthritis. As rheumatoid arthritis progresses, the development of sarcopenia also accelerates, and the two conditions can influence and exacerbate each other, increasing the risk of dysfunction, disability, falls, frailty, mortality, and severely reducing quality of life in patients. Malnutrition plays a crucial role in the development of sarcopenia. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis often experience varied degrees of malnutrition, anemia, and immune compromise, especially in the elderly. This article reviews the management of rheumatoid arthritis complicated by sarcopenia from the perspective of dietary intervention strategies. The aim is to enhance clinicians' understanding of the diseases and provide a reference for nutritional prevention and treatment.

Cite this article

YANG Dongming , LI Huilin . Nutritional therapy for sarcopenia in rheumatoid arthritis patients[J]. Journal of Internal Medicine Concepts & Practice, 2026 , 21(01) : 91 -97 . DOI: 10.16138/j.1673-6087.2026.01.14

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