Semaglutide Prescription Associated with Improved Rheumatoid Arthritis Joint Outcomes
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) results in swelling of major joints leading to pain, stiffness and loss of function. The GLP-1 semaglutide (Ozempic®, Wegovy®) has anti-inflammatory properties that could improve RA symptoms. A recent study queried the TriNetX database to identify adults with RA. The study compared those with a semaglutide prescription (n=12,125) to those who did not have a semaglutide prescription (n=292,558). The study matched people on age, sex, ethnicity, BMI, diabetes, nicotine dependence and mood disorders. People who had been prescribed semaglutide had less joint stiffness, pain and swelling at 30 days, 90 days and one year. They also had less fluid around the joints at 90 days and one year. The authors conclude that people with RA on semaglutide had lower risks of RA flare-ups and call for more research investigating semaglutide and RA.
