Physical activity of patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Singapore: a pilot study

Studies have shown that patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have lower levels of physical activity (PA) than healthy controls, despite the benefits of PA in reducing pain and stiffness. We aimed to compare the levels of PA in patients with RA with that of the general population and identify factors associated with meeting the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for PA.

Consecutive patients with RA were recruited from an outpatient rheumatology clinic in a tertiary hospital in Singapore. Data for the general population were obtained from the Singapore Health 2012 study. To obtain comparable controls from the general population, we performed propensity score matching based on age and gender.

Sixty patients with RA were recruited. The proportions of patients with RA and controls who met WHO recommendations for PA were similar (78.3% vs. 80.0%, P = 0.82). After propensity matching, patients with RA spent significantly less time on work-related PA compared to controls (54.3 ± 147.4 min vs. 73.0 ± 132.6 min, P < 0.01). Disease activity was insignificant in determining whether WHO recommendations for PA were met in patients with RA. In the multivariable logistic regression, being employed (odds ratio 4.72, 95% confidence interval 1.20-18.59) was associated with meeting WHO recommendations.

In this study, the proportion of patients with RA who met the recommendations for PA was similar to that of controls after propensity score matching. Among patients with RA, being employed was associated with meeting WHO recommendations for PA.