Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease. Rheumatoid arthritis is often accompanied by other diseases, whose etiology is related to previous inflammation. These diseases often belong to the so called metabolic syndrome. The most common conditions, which are also considered to be already civilization diseases, are diabetes mellitus and obesity. Patients with diabetes tend to have inflammation, based on tissue insulin resistance and impaired glucose metabolism. Some drugs used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis have also impact on carbohydrate balance. Another disease associated with rheumatoid arthritis is obesity. Recent studies have shown that adipocytes are the source of many inflammatory mediators. The course of rheumatoid arthitis is much severe in the obese patients, particularly in obese woman. These two diseases coexisting of rheumatoid arthritis significantly affect the condition of patients, their quality of life and prognosis. The aim of the study was to determine, based on the review of the literature, that the coexistence of diabetes and obesity with RA affected the worsening of this disease of the joints.

Key words: rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, obesity, metabolic diseases.