Remotely Supervised Weight Loss and Exercise Training to Improve Rheumatoid Arthritis Cardiovascular Risk: Rationale and Design of the Supervised Weight Loss Plus Exercise Training‐Rheumatoid Arthritis Trial

Abstract

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remain at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. RA CVD results from a combination of traditional risk factors and RA‐related systemic inflammation. One hypothetical means of improving overall RA CVD risk is through reduction of excess body weight and increased physical activity. Together, weight loss and physical activity can improve traditional cardiometabolic health through fat mass loss, while also improving skeletal muscle health. Additionally, disease‐related CVD risk may improve as both fat mass loss and exercise reduce systemic inflammation. To explore this hypothesis, 26 older persons with RA and overweight/obesity will be randomized to 16 weeks of a usual care control arm or to a remotely Supervised Weight Loss Plus Exercise Training (SWET) program. A caloric restriction diet (targeting 7% weight loss) will occur via a dietitian‐led intervention, with weekly weigh‐ins and group support sessions. Exercise training will consist of both aerobic training (150 minutes/week moderate‐to‐vigorous exercise) and resistance training (twice weekly). The SWET remote program will be delivered via a combination of video conference, the study YouTube channel, and study mobile applications. The primary cardiometabolic outcome is the metabolic syndrome Z score, calculated from blood pressure, waist circumference, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose. RA‐specific CVD risk will be assessed with measures of systemic inflammation, disease activity, patient‐reported outcomes, and immune cell function. The SWET‐RA trial will be the first to assess whether a remotely supervised, combined lifestyle intervention improves cardiometabolic health in an at‐risk population of older individuals with RA and overweight/obesity.