New Delhi, April 4 : Triglycerides -- the most common type of fat in blood -- could be a potential modifiable risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis in women, according to a study.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease with a higher prevalence in women. It is characterised by joint inflammation, pain, and swelling, which can lead to joint deformities and functional disabilities in severe cases.

Triglycerides, key indicators of lipid metabolism, are linked to inflammation and metabolic disorders, both contributing to the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis.

However, the association between triglyceride levels and the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis in women remains unclear.

To probe, a team of researchers from Suining Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China's Sichuan, analysed the association on data from 10,728 female participants between 1999 and 2018.

Of these women, 639 were diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

The results, published in the journal BMC Women's Health, showed that among the 639 patients, higher triglyceride levels were significantly positively associated with rheumatoid arthritis prevalence.

The study not only demonstrated a significant positive association between elevated triglyceride levels and the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis in women but found that the link remains significant even after adjusting for multiple confounding factors.

'Our findings suggest that monitoring triglyceride levels in women with rheumatoid arthritis could be valuable. Elevated triglycerides may serve as a modifiable risk factor for the disease,' Chang-Mei Zeng from the varsity.

'Targeting triglyceride levels through lifestyle changes or pharmacological treatments may help reduce inflammation and improve patient outcomes,' said Zeng.

The researchers noted that the disease course in female rheumatoid arthritis patients is often more complex, potentially involving hormonal fluctuations, immune response differences, and metabolic dysregulation, highlighting the importance of understanding sex-specific risk factors to improve disease management and prevention strategies.

The team called for future research to further investigate the role of triglyceride levels in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and explore potential intervention pathways.

/IANS