Factors Associated with Objectively Measured Physical Activity in Patients with Seropositive Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Exercise Physiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune condition often linked to reduced physical activity (PA).
• Factors contributing to low PA in RA patients remain understudied.
• Understanding these factors is crucial for improving patient health and quality of life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate factors associated with physical activity levels in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
• To identify correlations between PA and clinical/demographic parameters in RA.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 70 seropositive RA patients.
• Objective PA assessment using ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometers.
• Measurement of body mass index (BMI), smoking status, work ability, and clinical parameters (functional disabilities, disease activity, duration, pain, inflammation).

Main Results:

• RA patients exhibited limited moderate (215.2 min/week) and negligible vigorous PA (9.1 min/week).
• Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) showed associations with BMI, functional disabilities, smoking status, and work ability.
• After multivariate adjustment, only BMI remained significantly associated with MVPA.

Conclusions:

• Rheumatoid arthritis patients demonstrate virtually no vigorous intensity physical activity.
• Low PA in RA is associated with higher BMI, functional limitations, smoking, and reduced work ability.
• While associations were found, the cross-sectional design precludes establishing causality.