During this episode, Dr John Isaacs and Dr Josh Bennett from Newcastle University and the NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre, discuss sarcopenia - an age-related loss of muscle mass and strength. Sarcopenia is relatively common in rheumatoid arthritis, with a prevalence ranging from 4·5% to 44% of people with rheumatoid arthritis, depending on the definition of sarcopenia used. Rheumatoid sarcopenia increases the risk of fall, fractures, disability, and hospitalisation. Therefore, prevention and management is important, especially in older patients. We discuss the how and why sarcopenia arises and how it can be managed, as well as the recent publication of the RAMUS study, which looked at the skeletal muscle effects of JAK inhibitor tofacitinib in rheumatoid arthritis. The link to the Nature Rheumatology Review mentioned can also be found below.

Continue this conversation on social!