Obesity: Friend or Foe in Sjögren’s Syndrome Patients?

Background/Objectives: In Sjögren’s syndrome, exocrine glands are destructed in an autoimmune-mediated process. Obesity is known to influence a wide range of diseases. This study aimed to examine whether obesity has an impact on the disease course of our patients with Sjögren’s syndrome. Methods: Ou...

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Main Authors: Kincső Mezei, Laura Nagy, Viktória Orosz, Zsófia Aradi, Bernadett Bói, Antónia Szántó
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Diagnostics
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/14/23/2725
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author Kincső Mezei
Laura Nagy
Viktória Orosz
Zsófia Aradi
Bernadett Bói
Antónia Szántó
author_facet Kincső Mezei
Laura Nagy
Viktória Orosz
Zsófia Aradi
Bernadett Bói
Antónia Szántó
author_sort Kincső Mezei
collection DOAJ
description Background/Objectives: In Sjögren’s syndrome, exocrine glands are destructed in an autoimmune-mediated process. Obesity is known to influence a wide range of diseases. This study aimed to examine whether obesity has an impact on the disease course of our patients with Sjögren’s syndrome. Methods: Out of the regularly followed-up patients, 125 were grouped based on their body mass index (BMI). Below a BMI of 25, they were listed as “non-obese” (<i>n</i> = 45), whereas above a BMI of 25, they were categorized as “obese” (<i>n</i> = 80). Demographic, laboratory, and immunological parameters; Sjögren’s syndrome disease activity index; certain extraglandular manifestations; and treatment modalities were compared using biostatistical methods. Results: Among the examined cardiovascular and cerebrovascular co-morbidities, type 2 diabetes and hypertension were significantly more frequent in the obese group. Considering the associated further autoimmune disorders and extraglandular manifestations, in our patients, there were no significant differences between the two groups. Among laboratory parameters, gamma glutamil transferase, alanine transaminase, hemoglobin, hematocrit, lymphocyte rate, triglyceride, and c3 and c4 complement levels were significantly higher in the obese group, while the proportion of rheumatoid factor positivity and the neutrophil granulocyte rate were significantly lower. Immunoglobulin G, A, and M levels did not differ significantly between the two subsets. Obese patients needed steroid therapy significantly less frequently; however, statin therapy was remarkably more frequent in that group. Furthermore, the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Sjögren’s syndrome disease activity index (ESSDAI) was significantly lower in the group of overweight patients. Conclusions: Our results suggest that several immunological parameters of obese patients are more favorable compared to those with normal body weight. Behind that, we might suspect either the beneficial effect of statin therapy and/or the obesity paradox.
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spelling doaj-art-cb621092ccbb448ab04709a2fdff6b792025-08-20T01:55:38ZengMDPI AGDiagnostics2075-44182024-12-011423272510.3390/diagnostics14232725Obesity: Friend or Foe in Sjögren’s Syndrome Patients?Kincső Mezei0Laura Nagy1Viktória Orosz2Zsófia Aradi3Bernadett Bói4Antónia Szántó5Division of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, HungaryDivision of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, HungaryDivision of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, HungaryDivision of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, HungaryDepartment of Public Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, HungaryDivision of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, HungaryBackground/Objectives: In Sjögren’s syndrome, exocrine glands are destructed in an autoimmune-mediated process. Obesity is known to influence a wide range of diseases. This study aimed to examine whether obesity has an impact on the disease course of our patients with Sjögren’s syndrome. Methods: Out of the regularly followed-up patients, 125 were grouped based on their body mass index (BMI). Below a BMI of 25, they were listed as “non-obese” (<i>n</i> = 45), whereas above a BMI of 25, they were categorized as “obese” (<i>n</i> = 80). Demographic, laboratory, and immunological parameters; Sjögren’s syndrome disease activity index; certain extraglandular manifestations; and treatment modalities were compared using biostatistical methods. Results: Among the examined cardiovascular and cerebrovascular co-morbidities, type 2 diabetes and hypertension were significantly more frequent in the obese group. Considering the associated further autoimmune disorders and extraglandular manifestations, in our patients, there were no significant differences between the two groups. Among laboratory parameters, gamma glutamil transferase, alanine transaminase, hemoglobin, hematocrit, lymphocyte rate, triglyceride, and c3 and c4 complement levels were significantly higher in the obese group, while the proportion of rheumatoid factor positivity and the neutrophil granulocyte rate were significantly lower. Immunoglobulin G, A, and M levels did not differ significantly between the two subsets. Obese patients needed steroid therapy significantly less frequently; however, statin therapy was remarkably more frequent in that group. Furthermore, the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Sjögren’s syndrome disease activity index (ESSDAI) was significantly lower in the group of overweight patients. Conclusions: Our results suggest that several immunological parameters of obese patients are more favorable compared to those with normal body weight. Behind that, we might suspect either the beneficial effect of statin therapy and/or the obesity paradox.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/14/23/2725Sjögren’s syndromeobesitystatinobesity paradox
spellingShingle Kincső Mezei
Laura Nagy
Viktória Orosz
Zsófia Aradi
Bernadett Bói
Antónia Szántó
Obesity: Friend or Foe in Sjögren’s Syndrome Patients?
Diagnostics
Sjögren’s syndrome
obesity
statin
obesity paradox
title Obesity: Friend or Foe in Sjögren’s Syndrome Patients?
title_full Obesity: Friend or Foe in Sjögren’s Syndrome Patients?
title_fullStr Obesity: Friend or Foe in Sjögren’s Syndrome Patients?
title_full_unstemmed Obesity: Friend or Foe in Sjögren’s Syndrome Patients?
title_short Obesity: Friend or Foe in Sjögren’s Syndrome Patients?
title_sort obesity friend or foe in sjogren s syndrome patients
topic Sjögren’s syndrome
obesity
statin
obesity paradox
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/14/23/2725
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AT viktoriaorosz obesityfriendorfoeinsjogrenssyndromepatients
AT zsofiaaradi obesityfriendorfoeinsjogrenssyndromepatients
AT bernadettboi obesityfriendorfoeinsjogrenssyndromepatients
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