Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
9.2
4.8
Journals
Nutrients
Special Issues
Nutrition, Exercise and Rheumatic Diseases
nutrients-logo
Submit to Nutrients Review for Nutrients Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Nutrition, Exercise and Rheumatic Diseases

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Sports Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 May 2023) | Viewed by 10822

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Monika A. Reuß-Borst

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Practice for Rheumatology at the Center for Prevention and Rehabilitation, Bad Bocklet, Germany
2. Department Nephrology and Rheumatology, Georg-August University of Göttingen, Gottingen, Germany
Interests: rheumatology; clinical studies on sports and cancer; nutrition in rheumatic diseases and cancer; osteoporosis; pain; gout; quality of life; rehabilitation/care research

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The pathophysiology of rheumatic diseases is very complex and, in many ways, still not fully understood. In addition to a genetic predisposition, various environmental risk factors may contribute to the disease development as well as course of disease. This applies in particular for exogenous factors such as our prevailing “Western diet” and lack of exercise, on which we focus in this Special Issue.

Although there have been tremendous advances in pharmacological treatment, many patients still suffer from active disease and are far from being in remission. This has led to growing interest (of patients and physicians) in non-pharmacological interventions.

There is increasing evidence for the important interaction between physical activity/exercise, exerkines and general health as well as between diet, the gut microbiome, and joints (the “gut–joint axis”) and possible effects of physical or dietary interventions on disease activity. Since rheumatic disorders are frequently associated with comorbidities such as cardiovascular diseases and obesity, patients may profit in many ways from lifestyle modifications.

Possible topics in this Special Issue might therefore include: nutrition patterns as well as nutritional deficits in patients with rheumatic disease, modification of microbial–host interactions and inflammatory mechanisms by dietary interventions or supplements, and studies on the clinical effects of training programs and/or dietary interventions on disease activity and disease course.  

In summary, this Special Issue is devoted to the wide range of topics concerning nutrition and exercise as supportive non-pharmacologic treatment modalities for rheumatic diseases. It will hopefully provide answers to the question of if and by which underlying mechanisms these treatment options may exert their effects, thus having the potential to further improve health-related quality of life of thousands of our patients.

We cordially invite you to contribute your original research or reviews that shed further light on these exciting topics.

Prof. Dr. Monika A. Reuß-Borst
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • nutrition
  • exercise
  • physical activity
  • gut
  • microbiome
  • gut–joint axis
  • inflammation
  • rheumatic disease
  • lifestyle modification

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

14 pages, 1521 KiB  
Article
MCT-Induced Ketosis and Fiber in Rheumatoid Arthritis (MIKARA)—Study Protocol and Primary Endpoint Results of the Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Intervention Study Indicating Effects on Disease Activity in RA Patients
by Christina Heidt, Jörn Pons-Kühnemann, Ulrike Kämmerer, Thorsten Marquardt and Monika Reuss-Borst
Nutrients 2023, 15(17), 3719; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15173719 - 25 Aug 2023
Viewed by 2259
Abstract
Fatty acids, such as medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), both important components of a normal diet, have been reported to play a role in bone-related diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the role of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) has [...] Read more.
Fatty acids, such as medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), both important components of a normal diet, have been reported to play a role in bone-related diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the role of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) has not been investigated in RA to date. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of supplementation of regular diet with MCT with and without fiber on disease activity as measured with the SDAI (Simplified Disease Activity Index) in RA patients. A total of 61 RA patients on stable drug treatment were randomly assigned to a twice-daily control regimen or to a twice-daily regimen of a formulation containing medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) 30 g/day for 8 weeks followed by a second twice-daily regimen of combining MCT (30 g/day) plus fiber (30 g/day) for an additional 8 weeks. The control group received a formulation containing long-chain triglycerides (LCTs) instead of MCTs. The preliminary results showed a significant reduction in SDAI from baseline to week 16 in the test group and a significant increase in β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) levels, while no improvement in SDAI was observed in the control group. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition, Exercise and Rheumatic Diseases)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 591 KiB  
Article
Sarcopenia and Nutrition in Elderly Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study to Determine Prevalence and Risk Factors
by Laura Cano-García, Sara Manrique-Arija, Carmen Domínguez-Quesada, Juan Crisóstomo Vacas-Pérez, Pedro J. Armenteros-Ortiz, Desiré Ruiz-Vilchez, José María Martín-Martín, Rocío Redondo-Rodríguez, Aimara García-Studer, Fernando Ortiz-Márquez, Natalia Mena-Vázquez and Antonio Fernández-Nebro
Nutrients 2023, 15(11), 2440; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15112440 - 24 May 2023
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2105
Abstract
Objective: To describe the prevalence of sarcopenia in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients aged ≥65 years and identify the risk factors associated with sarcopenia. Methods: This is a multicenter, controlled, cross-sectional study of 76 RA patients and 76 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Sarcopenia [...] Read more.
Objective: To describe the prevalence of sarcopenia in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients aged ≥65 years and identify the risk factors associated with sarcopenia. Methods: This is a multicenter, controlled, cross-sectional study of 76 RA patients and 76 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Sarcopenia was defined according to the revised criteria of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2). Whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was performed. Binary regression was used to assess the relationship between sarcopenia and sex, age, duration of RA, Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) score, and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) score in patients with RA. Results: Nearly 80% of participants were female, and the average age was >70 years. Patients with RA had lower muscle mass and greater adiposity (fat-to-muscle ratio mean [SD] 0.9 [0.2] vs. 0.8 [0.2]; p = 0.017) than controls, mainly in the central area (android/gynoid ratio, median [p25–p75]: 1.0 [0.9–1.2] vs. 0.9 [0.8–1.1]; p < 0.001). Twelve patients (15.8%) and three controls (3.9%) had confirmed sarcopenia (p = 0.014). Sarcopenic obesity was observed in 8/76 patients with RA (10.5%) and in 1/76 controls (1.3%) (p = 0.016). The factors associated with sarcopenia were male sex (OR [95% CI]: 9.3 [1.1–80.4]; p = 0.042), disease duration (OR [95% CI]: 1.1 [1.0–1.2]; p = 0.012), and nutritional status according to the MNA (OR [95% CI]: 0.7 [0.5–0.9]; p = 0.042). Conclusions: Our results suggest that patients with RA aged ≥65 years may be at increased risk for sarcopenia, adiposity, and malnutrition (especially male patients with long-standing disease) and have poor nutritional status. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition, Exercise and Rheumatic Diseases)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 2170 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Intestinal Permeability and Inflammation Bio-Markers in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
by Christina Heidt, Ulrike Kämmerer, Manfred Fobker, Andreas Rüffer, Thorsten Marquardt and Monika Reuss-Borst
Nutrients 2023, 15(10), 2386; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15102386 - 19 May 2023
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2590
Abstract
Increased intestinal permeability and inflammation, both fueled by dysbiosis, appear to contribute to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis. This single-center pilot study aimed to investigate zonulin, a marker of intestinal permeability, and calprotectin, a marker of intestinal inflammation, measured in serum and fecal samples [...] Read more.
Increased intestinal permeability and inflammation, both fueled by dysbiosis, appear to contribute to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis. This single-center pilot study aimed to investigate zonulin, a marker of intestinal permeability, and calprotectin, a marker of intestinal inflammation, measured in serum and fecal samples of RA patients using commercially available kits. We also analyzed plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels, a marker of intestinal permeability and inflammation. Furthermore, univariate, and multivariate regression analyses were carried out to determine whether or not there were associations of zonulin and calprotectin with LPS, BMI, gender, age, RA-specific parameters, fiber intake, and short-chain fatty acids in the gut. Serum zonulin levels were more likely to be abnormal with a longer disease duration and fecal zonulin levels were inversely associated with age. A strong association between fecal and serum calprotectin and between fecal calprotectin and LPS were found in males, but not in females, independent of other biomarkers, suggesting that fecal calprotectin may be a more specific biomarker than serum calprotectin is of intestinal inflammation in RA. Since this was a proof-of-principle study without a healthy control group, further research is needed to validate fecal and serum zonulin as valid biomarkers of RA in comparison with other promising biomarkers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition, Exercise and Rheumatic Diseases)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 607 KiB  
Article
Nutrition Patterns and Their Gender Differences among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Descriptive Study
by Christina Heidt, Ulrike Kämmerer, Thorsten Marquardt and Monika Reuss-Borst
Nutrients 2023, 15(1), 95; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15010095 - 24 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3398
Abstract
Dietary factors probably play a role in the pathogenesis and clinical course of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). There is a paucity of specific dietary guidelines for RA patients and little information on their implementation in daily life. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the [...] Read more.
Dietary factors probably play a role in the pathogenesis and clinical course of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). There is a paucity of specific dietary guidelines for RA patients and little information on their implementation in daily life. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the nutritional status and provision of nutritional education among outpatients with RA. Here, 61 patients were included with a sex ratio of 2.03 (f/m). Based on BMI, 22% of women were overweight and 32% obese, whereas 50% of men were overweight and 30% obese. Fasting blood and a 3-day estimated dietary record were collected. Additionally, patients were asked whether they had already received information about a specific diet as part of their disease treatment plan. Elevated total cholesterol levels were found in 76% of women and in 60% of men caused by increased non-HDL-C levels. The dietary intake assessment showed a lower self-reported intake of energy, polyunsaturated fat, carbohydrates, fiber, and several micronutrients than recommended. Regarding healthy eating, all patients reported familiarity with dietary recommendations, but found it difficult to implement the recommendations into their diets. These findings suggested that RA patients need more specific recommendations and education in clinical practice to improve the quality of their diet. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition, Exercise and Rheumatic Diseases)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop