Abstract

Metabolic syndrome (MetS), characterized by an amalgamation of obesity, dyslipidemia, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance (IR), and hypertension, is a significant predictor of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The prevalence of this condition among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients may elevate the risk of CVD. This study explored the relationship between MetS and RA using hormonal and immunological markers, in addition to some molecular analyses [energy homeostasis-associated (ENHO) gene expression]. It included 80 RA patients (40 with MetS and 40 without MetS) and 20 apparently healthy controls. The outcomes showed that MetS was more common in persons classified as overweight or obese, those with RA disease duration of 5-10 years, and older RA patients (>50 years). While RA mostly affected women, MetS showed a fairer division between sexes. In RA patients with MetS, both insulin and IL-23 showed significant positive correlations (p=0.011) as well as between adropin and interleukin (IL) 17 (p=0.024). These results highlight how metabolic and demographic factors affect the course of RA and underline the need of a thorough metabolic inflammatory therapy strategy.

Keywords:
Rheumatoid arthritis, metabolic syndrome, interleukin (IL)-17, interleukin (IL)-23, adropin.

Date received:
25 August 2025; accepted: 14 October 2025

PMID:
41546878