Dietary Pattern or Weight Loss: Which One Is More Important to Reduce Disease Activity Score in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis? A Randomized Feeding Trial

Table 2

Mean difference and patient’s characteristics after 12 weeks dietary intervention.

Groups variables	Controls (N = 50)	LF-HC (N = 53)	MD (N = 51)	value
Weight, kg
12 weeks	65 ± 10.5	68.5 ± 10.1	71.2 ± 10.3	0.01
Mean difference	0.32 ± 1.1	−2.37 ± 1.8^a	−2.9 ± 3.01^a	<0.001
Swollen joints
12 weeks	0.38 ± 1.7	0.73 ± 1.8	1.75 ± 3.1	0.008
Mean difference	−0.73 ± 2.03	−0.21 ± 1.4	−0.73 ± 2.2^b	0.26
Tenderness joints
12 weeks	2.07 ± 4.04	3.5 ± 4.67	2.77 ± 4.06	0.2
Mean difference	−5.3 ± 4.8	−3.8 ± 4.7	−3.4 ± 4.7	0.1
ESR, mm/h
12 weeks	24.66 ± 16.4	16.87 ± 13.7	9.23 ± 10.3	<0.001
Mean difference	−0.65 ± 2.4	−4.4 ± 7.9^c	−8.5 ± 5.6^b	<0.001
DAS 28
12 weeks	2.9 ± 1.05	2.67 ± 1.05	2 ± 1.1	<0.001
Mean difference	−0.88 ± 0.86	−0.84 ± 0.98	−1.5 ± 3.01	<0.001
VAS
12 weeks	5.15 ± 1.6	3.96 ± 1.4	4.4 ± 1.7	0.001
Mean difference	−0.51 ± 0.65	−0.74 ± 0.7	−0.81 ± 0.8	0.1

BMI, body mass index; MUFA, mono unsaturated fatty acids, PUFAs, poly unsaturated fatty acids; SFAs, saturated fatty acids; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; VAS, visual analogue scale; DAS 28, disease activity score 28. ^aMean change was significantly higher in MD and LF-HC than controls. ^bMean change of serum ESR was significantly decreased in MD than LF-HC and controls. ^cMean change of serum ESR was significantly lower in the LF-HC group than controls.