EULAR 2026 Daily Podcast Day 1a
A groundbreaking study presented at EULAR 2026 reveals that rheumatoid arthritis fundamentally alters body composition in ways conventional metrics like BMI fail to detect—patients show increased intermuscular fat and reduced muscle quality (myosteatosis), even when overall muscle mass and visceral fat appear normal. This deep learning analysis of routine abdominal CT scans from nearly 900 patients suggests chronic inflammation reprograms fat and muscle tissue, explaining why some RA patients develop metabolic and cardiovascular risks despite normal weight. The findings shift focus from obesity or sarcopenia alone to tissue quality, with major implications for predicting frailty and comorbidities. Meanwhile, a large, diverse lupus study combining two major US cohorts (APPEAL and CLUES) finds that fatigue, depression, stress, and low self-efficacy are stronger predictors of physical function than disease activity or organ damage—especially after adjusting for these factors. The results show psychosocial health is not just a side effect but a core driver of daily functioning in lupus. This challenges the traditional clinical focus on inflammation control alone and argues for integrating patient-reported outcomes and mental health assessments into routine care to truly improve quality of life.
Rheumatoid arthritis causes hidden muscle and fat remodeling—intermuscular fat increases and muscle quality declines—even when BMI and muscle area appear normal.
Deep learning analysis of routine abdominal CT scans can detect clinically meaningful tissue changes missed by standard metrics like BMI or DEXA.
Fat infiltration between muscles (myosteatosis) and reduced muscle radiodensity are linked to frailty, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular risk in RA.
In lupus, fatigue and psychosocial factors like depression and self-efficacy predict physical function more strongly than disease activity or organ damage.
Adjusting for disease activity weakens the link between psychosocial health and function more than adjusting for organ damage—suggesting symptoms matter more than irreversible damage.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
EULAR 2026 Preview: Key Late Breakers and Highlights
“Baricitinib was the first of the JAK inhibitors to be labeled, and right out of the gate, labeled with a VTE risk and warning. And this study confirms it.”
ILD Risk Factors and Screening Guidelines at EULAR
The discussion covers risk factors for interstitial lung disease (ILD) in RA—male sex, older age, seropositivity, smoking, and disease activity—and debates whether current screening guidelines (ACR vs. ERS-ULAR) are practical given that most patients meet at least one or two criteria.
Sunstar Study: Tocilizumab vs. Abatacept in Biologic Failures
The Sunstar Study, a head-to-head trial of tocilizumab and abatacept after biologic failure, shows no overall difference, but a novel analysis suggests a potential edge for tocilizumab. The results are pending full interpretation.
Brepocidinib: A New JAK1 Inhibitor for Dermatomyositis
“In all cases, the active treatment was superior with about a double response on average in 241 patients with dermatomyositis.”
Advanced CT Imaging Reveals Hidden Body Composition Changes in RA
“Rheumatoid arthritis seems to be associated with a qualitative remodeling of muscle and fat tissue that conventional metrics like BMI may completely actually fail to capture.”
“Rheumatoid arthritis seems to be associated with a qualitative remodeling of muscle and fat tissue that conventional metrics like BNI, which we are so used to measuring, may completely actually fail to capture.”
“Patient reported outcomes, particularly fatigue, mood, stress and coping, they are clearly quite central to how a patient is able to function in day -to -day life.”
“Baricitinib was the first of the JAK inhibitors to be labeled, and right out of the gate, labeled with a VTE risk and warning. And this study confirms it.”
Host
Guest
EULAR 2026
other
baricitinib
product
Murnalini Day
person
brepocidinib
product
APPEAL cohort
other
CLUES cohort
other
Deep Learning
other
RA Bridge
other
RA Branch
other
Mayo Clinic
organization
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