Are persons with rheumatoid arthritis deconditioned? A review of physical activity and aerobic capacity

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

Harriet Wittink¹  Tim Takken²  Tjerk Munsterman³ 

[1] Research group Lifestyle and Health, Faculty of Health Care, Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, Bolognalaan 101, 3584 CJ, Utrecht, The Netherlands;Child Development & Exercise Center, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands;Physical Therapy Center, Martini Hospital Groningen, P.O. Box 30033, 9700 RM, Groningen, Netherlands

关键词: Healthy controls;    Aerobic capacity;    Physical activity;    Cardiovascular disease;    Rheumatoid arthritis;   

Others  :  1135768
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2474-13-202

 received in 2011-11-29, accepted in 2012-10-10,  发布年份 2012

【 摘 要 】

Background

Although the general assumption is that patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have decreased levels of physical activity, no review has addressed whether this assumption is correct.

Methods

Our objective was to systematically review the literature for physical activity levels and aerobic capacity (VO_2max). in patients with (RA), compared to healthy controls and a reference population. Studies investigating physical activity, energy expenditure or aerobic capacity in patients with RA were included. Twelve studies met our inclusion criteria.

Results

In one study that used doubly labeled water, the gold standard measure, physical activity energy expenditure of patients with RA was significantly decreased. Five studies examined aerobic capacity. Contradictory evidence was found that patients with RA have lower VO_2max than controls, but when compared to normative values, patients scored below the 10^th percentile. In general, it appears that patients with RA spend more time in light and moderate activities and less in vigorous activities than controls.

Conclusion

Patients with RA appear to have significantly decreased energy expenditure, very low aerobic capacity compared to normative values and spend less time in vigorous activities than controls.

【 授权许可】

   
2012 Munsterman et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.