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Exercise and fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis
Sandor Balsamo1, Leonardo R Diniz2, Leopoldo L dos Santos-Neto2
1Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brazil. sandorbalsamo@gmail.com
The Israel Medical Association Journal : IMAJ
|March 1, 2014
Summary
Fatigue significantly impacts rheumatoid arthritis patients. Low-impact aerobic exercise may alleviate fatigue, a key symptom influencing quality of life and disease progression. Further research is needed.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Exercise Physiology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Fatigue is a primary disabling symptom in 40%-80% of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, severely affecting quality of life.
- The multidimensional nature and reliability of fatigue as a disease progression measure in RA have received limited attention.
- Exercise and fatigue have a reciprocal relationship, influencing each other's impact on RA patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing fatigue in RA patients.
- To evaluate the role of exercise interventions in managing fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis.
- To determine the reliability of fatigue as an outcome measure in RA clinical management.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted across Medline, CCRCT, Lilacs, PubMed, and Scopus for RCTs on fatigue assessment and exercise in RA.
- Studies were screened for appropriate methods, materials, and results; review articles, case reports, and editorials were excluded.
- Four RCTs met the inclusion criteria, utilizing fatigue scales such as MAF, MAC, and POMS, with exercise interventions lasting 12 weeks.
Main Results:
- Four RCTs were included, employing various fatigue assessment tools like the Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue (MAF) and Profile of Mood States (POMS).
- Interventions included low-impact aerobic exercise, dance-based exercise, and home cardiopulmonary conditioning programs over 12 weeks.
- Fatigue was assessed using validated scales, indicating its potential as a reliable outcome measure in RA management.
Conclusions:
- Fatigue is a significant and disabling symptom in rheumatoid arthritis, impacting patient quality of life.
- Exercise interventions, particularly low-impact aerobic exercise, show potential in managing fatigue levels in RA patients.
- Further research is recommended to explore the correlation between exercise, fatigue, and quality of life using validated, multidimensional fatigue scales.
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