Ramadan fasting can induce rapid improvement in rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthritis activity without significantly affecting medication compliance or tolerance.
In the methodology, this study was a prospective, monocentric one that included patients with either rheumatoid arthritis or spondyloarthritis who partook in Ramadan fasting in 2019. The disease activity and management of chronic medications were assessed and compared in two visits - one six months before Ramadan fasting began and a second one after at least seven days of fasting.
In the results, the study found that both rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthritis activity, as measured by Disease Activity Scores, decreased after patients fasted during Ramadan. In contrast, compliance with chronic medications and tolerance did not significantly change. These findings suggest fasting can be a potentially effective approach to improving disease activity in patients with rheumatoid diseases. Moreover, these findings provide reassurance to patients who may have fears about medication intake during Ramadan, which could improve adherence to treatment.
