“Our findings have important clinical implications, because the patient-reported outcomes we measured, particularly pain and fatigue, are known to have profound effects on quality of life and remain a major area of unmet need for people with lupus,” said lead author Sarah Patterson, a rheumatology fellow at University of California, San Francisco.

The association that the researchers found between obesity and exacerbated outcomes among 148 patients highlights the need for “lifestyle interventions targeting lupus patients who are overweight,” Patterson added. “I hope this work sparks greater interest and motivation among rheumatologists to address weight management with their lupus patients.”

Women are nine to 10 times likelier to develop lupus than men are, and it’s two to three times more common in women of color. Obesity is a common lupus comorbidity.

The post Obesity leads to worse outcomes for women with lupus appeared first on CreakyJoints.

While omega-3 fatty acids work against inflammation, omega-6 fatty acids, which tend to be more prevalent staples of Western diets, are pro-inflammatories. The latter “are suspected to contribute to chronic diseases,” according to Prae Charoenwoodhipong, of the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and colleagues.

Prior research had demonstrated an association between omega-3 fatty acids and lower lupus disease activities, but Charoenwoodhipong and colleagues focused on patient-reported outcomes in a population-based, cross-sectional study.

“According to rheumatologists I’ve worked with, patients with SLE [lupus] are always asking about what they might be able to do with supplements or their diet to help improve their health,” Charoenwoodhipong said.

Among 456 lupus patients from the Michigan Lupus Epidemiology & Surveillance (MILES) Program, the researchers found that omega-3 fatty acids helped the patients sleep better and decreased levels of depression. Rheumatologists should recommend daily servings of fatty fish, nuts, and seeds, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, Charoenwoodhipong said.

The post Omega-3 fatty acids help lupus patients sleep better, decrease depression appeared first on CreakyJoints.