Glucocorticoids are cost-effective drugs that exert strong anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects. However, there is increasing awareness of their potential adverse effects. Although Cushingoid appearance and weight gain have been known for decades, modern measurements of body composition now enable detailed insights into glucocorticoid-induced changes in fat mass and redistribution.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$209.00 per year
only $17.42 per issue
Rent or buy this article
Prices vary by article type
from$1.95
to$39.95
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
van der Goes, M. C. et al. Patient and rheumatologist perspectives on glucocorticoids: an exercise to improve the implementation of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) recommendations on the management of systemic glucocorticoid therapy in rheumatic diseases. Ann. Rheum. Dis. 69, 1015–1021 (2010).
Konijn, N. P. et al. The short-term effects of two high-dose, step-down prednisolone regimens on body composition in early rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatology (Oxford) http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/kew221 (2016).
Buttgereit, F., Smolen, J. S., Coogan, A. N. & Cajochen, C. Clocking in: chronobiology in rheumatoid arthritis. Nat. Rev. Rheumatol. 11, 349–356 (2015).
Arvidson, N. G., Gudbjornsson, B., Larsson, A. & Hallgren, R. The timing of glucocorticoid administration in rheumatoid arthritis. Ann. Rheum. Dis. 56, 27–31 (1997).
Cutolo, M. Glucocorticoids and chronotherapy in rheumatoid arthritis. RMD Open 2, e000203 (2016).
Smith-Ryan, A. E. et al. Validity and reliability of a 4-compartment body composition model using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry-derived body volume. Clin. Nutr. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2016.05.006 (2016).
Summers, G. D., Metsios, G. S., Stavropoulos-Kalinoglou, A. & Kitas, G. D. Rheumatoid cachexia and cardiovascular disease. Nat. Rev. Rheumatol. 6, 445–451 (2010).
Walsmith, J. & Roubenoff, R. Cachexia in rheumatoid arthritis. Int. J. Cardiol. 85, 89–99 (2002).
Arshad, A., Rashid, R. & Benjamin, K. The effect of disease activity on fat-free mass and resting energy expenditure in patients with rheumatoid arthritis versus noninflammatory arthropathies/soft tissue rheumatism. Mod. Rheumatol. 17, 470–475 (2007).
Elkan, A. C., Hakansson, N., Frostegard, J., Cederholm, T. & Hafstrom, I. Rheumatoid cachexia is associated with dyslipidemia and low levels of atheroprotective natural antibodies against phosphorylcholine but not with dietary fat in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional study. Arthritis Res. Ther. 11, R37 (2009).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing financial interests.
PowerPoint slides
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Buttgereit, F., Burmester, G. Glucocorticoid therapy and body composition. Nat Rev Rheumatol 12, 444–445 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrrheum.2016.114
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrrheum.2016.114