Objective: There are very few studies conducted on the effect of diet on disease activity in rheumatic diseases. We surveyed patients to evaluate for diet related disease flare in different rheumatic disease conditions.

Methods: A cross sectional study of consecutive patients attending rheumatology out-patient department at a tertiary care hospital with various rheumatic diseases were surveyed for any diet related disease flare over a period of 1 year. Details of demographics, diagnosis and food triggers (pulses, cereals, fruits, vegetables, non-vegetarian food, oil, desserts/curd) were collected. Data were collected from electronic medical records which captured patients demographic, disease characteristics and diet history. All the raw data were transposed to an excel sheet and further exported into SPSS software (Version 16). Dichotomous outcomes were summarized using percentages and continuous data were presented as Mean and standard deviation (SD).

Results: Out of 2240 patients surveyed 1585 (70.75%) were females as compared to 655 (29.25%) males. About 10.08%; 95%CI (8.87%to 11.41%) rheumatology patients complained of flare of disease activity with diet. Among them vegetables, non-vegetarian food and fruits were the worst culprit in the order of frequency. Since vegetables were part of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian diet, they seem to be the most contributing factor. Within disease, Rheumatoid arthritis, Spondyloarthritis and Osteoarthritis is more prevalent in non-vegetarian patients than vegetarian.

Conclusion: Most rheumatic disease patients have no aggravation attributable to diet except for a few who need to abstain. The survey concluded that only one-tenth rheumatology patients complained of diet flare.

Keywords: Food trigger, vegetarian, non-vegetarian, rheumatic disease, survey.

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Arindam Nandy Roy

Department of Rheumatology, Behind Hari Hara Kala Bhavan, Yashoda Hospital, Secunderabad -500003; India

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