Low physical activity reduces total energy expenditure in women with rheumatoid arthritis: implications for dietary intake recommendations

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes cachexia, a metabolic response characterized by loss of muscle mass and elevated resting energy expenditure (REE). However, energy expenditure in physical activity in subjects with RA is lower than that in healthy subjects. It is not known which effect predominates in regulating total energy expenditure (TEE), and thus whether the dietary energy requirements of subjects with RA are higher or lower than those of healthy subjects.