The association between dietary intake of branched-chain amino acids and odds and severity of rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Abstract This case–control study investigated the link between dietary branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and the risk and severity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We assessed dietary BCAA intake in 95 RA patients and 190 matched controls using a food frequency questionnaire. We also assessed the disease severity using the disease activity score 28 (DAS-28), ESR, VAS, morning stiffness, and tender and swollen joints. Higher BCAA intake, expressed as a percentage of total protein, was significantly associated with increased risk of RA for total BCAAs (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.53–3.00, P 0.05). Our findings suggest that higher dietary BCAA intake may contribute to the development of RA, but further research is needed to confirm these observations and explore the underlying mechanisms.