Article

OBJECTIVE: To explore whether low aerobic capacity and physical activity are
associated with fatigue, when controlling for age, gender, pain and depressive
symptoms in persons with rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: In 60 individuals fatigue
(Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue scale; MAF), disease activity (Disease
Activity Score-28; DAS 28), pain, physical and psychological status (Arthritis
Impact Measurement Scales 2; AIMS 2), depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression
Scale; HADS), aerobic capacity and physical activity (Short Questionnaire to
Assess Health-enhancing physical activity; SQUASH) were measured. Regression was
performed to study the variance of fatigue explained by aerobic capacity and
physical activity. RESULTS: Mean (standard deviation (SD)) age of participants
was 51.8 (SD 10.4) years and 73.3% were women. Duration of disease was 10.2 (SD
0-41) years and mean disease activity score was 3.4 (SD 1.4). Mean Global Fatigue
Index was 20.3 (SD 10.5). Physical function was 1.6 (SD 1.1) and psychological
status 3.1 (SD 0-8) on the AIMS2. Pain score was 4.1 (SD 2.0) and median
depression score was 3.2 (range 0-15). Total amount of physical activity was
176.9 (10.6-1,492.3) METhours/week and VO2max was 27.8 (SD 3.8) ml/kg/min.
Backward multiple regression showed a statistically significant relationship with
depressive symptoms only (t = 5.4, p < 0.001), which explained 33% of variance of
fatigue in patients with RA. CONCLUSION: Depression, but not aerobic capacity or
physical activity, contributed to fatigue. However, no relationship was found
between aerobic capacity and fatigue.

Langue : ANGLAIS