Team rehab improves functional outcomes, body composition in inflammatory arthritis

A team rehabilitation for 4 weeks confers benefits on body composition, level of physical functioning, activity, and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) for up to 12 months in patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA), a study has shown.

Moreover, measures of physical function and activity are associated with Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), while body composition correlates with CRF.

A total of 149 participants with chronic arthritis (mean age 53 years, 74 percent women, mean disease duration 21 years) were included in the analysis. Participants underwent a 4-week team rehabilitation programme. They were assessed prior to rehabilitation and at 3 and 12 months postrehabilitation.

The investigators performed a bioelectrical impedance analysis and the Åstrand 6-minute cycle test to assess body composition and CRF, respectively. They also applied ANCOVA with Bonferroni correction and linear mixed models.

Waist circumference and measures of fat significantly decreased after 3 and 12 months, adjusted for age, sex, and baseline measures. The prevalence of adiposity and central obesity also decreased after 12 months.

Improvements in hand grip strength and time sit-to-stand (TST) were noted along with a reduction in HAQ and increased maximal oxygen consumption (VO₂ max) after 3 and 12 months.

HAQ reduction over time correlated with prerehabilitation measures of lean mass legs, hand grip strength, TST, and physical activity, as well as changes in hand grip strength, physical activity, and sedentary time, but not with changes in body composition.

In addition, improvement in VO₂ max was associated with prerehabilitation body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, measures of fat and lean mass, and changes in BMI, waist circumference, and measures of fat.