Metabolic challenges in rheumatoid arthritis: a translational overview from pathogenesis to patient care

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disease characterized by a higher burden of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases than in the general population. Altered lipid and glucose metabolic pathways are widely observed, primarily due to chronic inflammation. However, metabolic dysfunction may also affect RA pathogenesis, further enhancing immune cell activation and joint damage. Glucose and lipid alterations observed in RA help define the comorbidity burden of this disease, significantly affecting disease activity and prognosis. The aim of the present review is to describe the role of metabolic dysfunctions in RA and to examine how disease activity and treatments can influence these conditions. We also summarized the main management strategies based on current literature and developed a cardiometabolic monitoring algorithm across different clinical settings to support daily patient care of these patients.