What do we know about dietary perceptions and beliefs of patients with rheumatoid arthritis? A scoping review
Review published in Rheumatology international (2024)
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis is a debilitating inflammatory condition which has a high disease burden. While there is emerging evidence that certain foods and diets could have anti-inflammatory properties and there are published 'anti-inflammatory' diets, there is very little understanding of patient beliefs and perceptions about the impact of diet on symptom management or attitudes to particular dietary interventions. This scoping review aims to summarize the existing literature around the beliefs that patients with rheumatoid arthritis hold regarding the impact of diet on disease activity and joint pain. It also examines the current state of evidence regarding the impact of specific dietary interventions on patient reported and objective parameters of RA disease activity. A search was conducted across seven databases for studies which included reporting on dietary beliefs related to disease management or investigations on the effect of particular diets on disease activity or joint pain. Articles were excluded if they examined extracted compounds or individual dietary supplements. Included studies were synthesized narratively. We retrieved 25,585 papers from which 68 were included in this review: 7 assessed dietary beliefs, 61 explored dietary interventions. The available literature on patient beliefs has been largely limited to quantitative studies with limited qualitative exploration. The Mediterranean, fasting and vegan diets appear to have the most benefit with regards to rheumatoid arthritis outcomes for patients. Research which examines RA patient's beliefs and attitudes about the impact of diet on their RA symptoms and disease is currently lacking.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Resumen
Rheumatoid arthritis is a debilitating inflammatory condition which has a high disease burden.
Por qué esto importa para la hirudoterapia
This scoping review synthesized 68 studies (from 25,585 retrieved papers) examining dietary beliefs and interventions in rheumatoid arthritis patients, finding that Mediterranean, fasting, and vegan diets showed the most benefit for RA outcomes while patient beliefs research remains largely limited to quantitative approaches. For ASH's domain, there is no direct relevance—this work concerns nutritional perceptions and anti-inflammatory diets in RA, with no involvement of hirudotherapy, leech-derived compounds, or the leech secretome. The review explicitly excluded studies on extracted compounds or individual dietary supplements, further distancing it from any leech-related bioactive agent investigation. This article has no defensible connection to hirudotherapy or leech science.
Citación
What do we know about dietary perceptions and beliefs of patients with rheumatoid arthritis? A scoping review
Termine M et al. · Rheumatology international, 2024
Contexto clínico relacionado
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Añadido a la biblioteca ASH: May 27, 2026 · Última actualización del sitio: June 18, 2026