Around 270.000 people in the Netherlands are affected by rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease, causing inflammation of the joints. Despite the fact that the joint inflammation can nowadays effectively be treated, people with rheumatoid arthritis still often experience muscle weakness and fatigue. The muscles are important in our daily life to move, breath and perform work-related and social activities. It is for these reasons that muscle weakness and fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis patients is still a persisting clinical problem that decreases the quality of life of these patients.  

Currently there is a lack of knowledge, diagnostic tools and therapeutic options to ameliorate muscle weakness and fatigue for rheumatoid patients. Physicians commonly attribute this weakness to a decrease muscle in muscle mass (atrophy) due to a lack of movement due to pain in the joints. However, recent research suggests a potential link to damage of the energy factories within the muscle cells of rheumatoid arthritis patients: the mitochondria. With this grant, Maarten Steinz is conducting new research on this topic. 

More than decreased muscle mass 

Maarten: ‘Previous studies have shown that muscle weakness in rheumatoid arthritis patients is caused by more than just decreased muscle mass. We have indications that the energy production of the mitochondria is disturbed in muscles of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Because we do not yet precisely understand how rheumatoid arthritis induce changes to these energy factories of the muscle cells, it is challenging to create new possibilities for diagnosing and treating muscle weakness in these patients.’  

In a new study, Maarten examines various aspects with novel research techniques at Amsterdam UMC. He investigates changes in the energy production of mitochondria of muscles affected by rheumatoid arthritis, the number of inflammatory substances in the blood of rheumatoid arthritis patients and the response of muscle cells in the laboratory to these inflammatory substances.  

New diagnosis and treatment 

Steinz: ‘The results of these studies will help us better understand the mechanism by which rheumatoid arthritis leads to weaker muscles. The new knowledge will contribute to the development of innovative ways to diagnose muscle weakness and find novel treatments for muscle weakness in rheumatoid arthritis patients.’ 

New call in 2024 

The next call for the AUF Starting Grant will be launched in 2024, probably in spring. Interested young scientists can find additional information on this website. Contact address: rs-startstipendium@amsterdamumc.nl.