Body mass index is associated with health-related quality of life and disease characteristics in young adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Abstract

Abstract Background There is a growing interest concerning the relationship between obesity and several medical conditions and inflammation. Nevertheless, there is a lack of studies regarding body mass index (BMI) among patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Our aim was to investigate the impact of BMI on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measured with a 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36), disease activity, and functional ability in young adults with JIA. Methods This study is a part of the population-based Nordic JIA cohort study. Three hundred fifty-five patients from the original study cohort were enrolled in this study. Patients were classified according to the World Health Organization (WHO) into four groups based on their BMI. HRQoL, disease characteristics, functional ability, fatigue, sleep quality, physical activity, pain, comorbidities, and social status were assessed. Results A significant relationship was found between the JIA categories and BMI groups (p = 0.014). A significant relationship was also found between BMI and disease activity scores (DAS28) (p = 0.028), functional ability (p < 0.001), pain (p = 0.013), fatigue (p = 0.035), and sleep quality (p = 0.044). Moreover, a significant relationship between BMI and HRQoL regarding bodily pain (p = 0.010) and general health (p = 0.048) was revealed when adjusted for sex, age, and JIA subtype. Conclusion We discovered that BMI was significantly related to HRQoL, disease activity, and disability. BMI deserves more attention considering the treatment options and outcome of JIA in young adults.