Low-dose glucocorticoid use may not be associated with substantial weight gain or hypertension in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, according to a new study published by Palmowski et al in the Annals of Internal Medicine. In the pooled analysis, investigators analyzed data from five randomized trials involving 1,112 patients with rheumatoid arthritis who received 7.5 mg or less of glucocorticoids per day for 2 years and controls. The primary endpoints of the study were the differences in the change in baseline body weight and mean arterial pressure. After a follow-up of 2 years, the investigators discovered that although both groups demonstrated weight gain, patients who received glucocorticoids experienced 1.1 kg (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.4–1.8) more weight gain compared with controls. Further, arterial pressure was elevated in both groups by 2 mm Hg—with no statistically significant differences reported between the groups. The investigators concluded that their new study provided quantifiable evidence that the risks of weight gain and hypertension after low-dose glucocorticoid treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis may be lower than previously understood.