Recently, there has been a change in the representation of the image of a typical patient with rheumatoid arthritis as a person with low body weight. Obesity is known to increase levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Therefore, a high body mass index may be the cause of worsening cardiovascular risks in these patients.
Objective: to study the effect of body weight on the course of rheumatoid arthritis and the development of structural and geometric remodeling of the myocardium.
Material and methods: the study conducted a clinical evaluation of 100 patients with significant rheumatoid arthritis (men 7%, women 93%, age 55±12,4). Patients were divided into three groups: 1st (n=39) with normal BMI up to 25 kg/m2, 2nd (n=34) – increased BMI, 25–29,9 kg/m2, 3rd group (n=27) – obese, BMI more than 30 kg/m2.
Results. In the group with obesity, the intensity of pain on the visual-analog scale was significantly higher compared to the 1st group (p <0,05). Increased BMI is directly correlated with blood pressure (p <0,01; r=0,34), an increase in the final diastolic size of the left ventricle (p <0,01; r=0,268), the thickness of the posterior wall of the left ventricle (p <0,05; r=0,375) and the thickness of the interventricular septum (p <0,05; r=0,372). The greatest increase in blood pressure was observed in patients with established obesity. There were no significant differences in blood pressure among patients taking NSAIDs and without them. Pain intensity and body mass index had a greater effect on blood pressure than NSAIDs.
Conclusion. Thus, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and obesity, structural and geometric remodeling and violations of the diastolic function of the heart occur.

Keywords: rheumatoid arthritis, body mass index, blood pressure, pain intensity