Lifestyle Intervention for Rheumatoid Arthritis

A Lifestyle Intervention for Rheumatoid Arthritis: Effect of an Intensive Therapeutic Lifestyle Change Program on Inflammatory Markers and Clinical Outcomes

The main purpose of this study is to assess whether adding a multifaceted lifestyle intervention to the standard best practice of care can be more effective than standard best practices alone for treating Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The main purpose of this study is to assess whether adding a multifaceted lifestyle intervention to the standard best practice of care can be more effective than standard best practices alone for treating Rheumatoid Arthritis. If a lifestyle intervention is effective, we expect to see improvement in functional status and decreased health care costs to the study participant and the insurer.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. BCBSVT members who also carry the prescription benefit with BCBSVT (due to the need for tracking prescription costs).
2. BCBSVT membership for minimum of 12 months prior to start of study (due to the need for tracking prescription costs before and after intervention).
3. Age 18 or older
4. Medical diagnosis of RA

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Pregnancy
2. Currently taking warfarin (since fluctuating amounts of green leafy vegetable intake can adversely affect INR levels and because we will be asking participants to increase the amount of green leafy vegetables they consume)
3. Malignancy currently undergoing treatment (with further planned treatment at the time of enrollment) since patients undergoing cancer treatment often need to stop RA medications in order to improve immune function, and thus could be a confounder.
4. Food allergy (including reactions such as hives, wheezing, difficulty breathing, fainting, or anaphylaxis)