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The relationship between quality of life and aerobic fitness in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

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Abstract

Aerobic fitness is among the various aspects of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients’ lives that may deteriorate as a result of the disease and, in doing so, influence patient attitudes toward their own general health. This cross-sectional study examined (1) relationships between patients’ aerobic fitness and general health perceptions, (2) relationships between functional aerobic impairment and general health perceptions, (3) the impact of body mass index (BMI) on RA patients’ cardiopulmonary functioning. Sixty-six RA patients (ten male and 56 female adults) participated in this study. Following maximum graded exercise tolerance testing to determine their subsequent aerobic fitness, they completed a version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life brief form (WHOQOL-BREF, short form) questionnaire. The one sample t test determined differences between the RA group and the reference data. We used Spearman’s correlation analyses to assess the associations between variables of the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire and patients’ aerobic fitness. VO2 peak was on average 92.00% ± 13.37% and 77.93% ± 20.24% of that predicted for age-matched men and women, respectively. The female patients’ BMI was significantly lower than that of the reference data (P < 0.0001). Spearman’s correlation coefficient demonstrated a significant association between WHOQOL-BREF scores and VO2 peak in the physical (P = 0.002; mobility, work) and psychological (P = 0.009; self-esteem, body image, and negative feelings) domains for the female patients. It also demonstrated a significant association between the WHOQOL-BREF scores and functional aerobic impairment in the physical (P = 0.006; energy, mobility, activity), psychological (P = 0.008; self-esteem and body images), and environment (P = 0.035; finance, service) domains for the female patients. Our results indicated that impaired aerobic fitness, combined with poor physical and psychological well-being, influenced midlife transition in Taiwanese RA women.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, 5F., No. 201, Sec. 2, Shihpai Rd., Beitou District, Taipei, 112, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Chia-Ling Chang, Su-Ying Hung, Si-Huei Lee, Chang-Shun Lee, Chi-Ming Huang & Chen-Liang Chou

  2. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, 21, Nan-Ya S. Rd., Sec. 2 Pan-Chiao, Taipei, Taiwan

    Cheng-Ming Chiu

  3. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, No. 155, Sec. 2, Linong St., Taipei, 112, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Chen-Liang Chou

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  1. Chia-Ling Chang
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Correspondence to Chen-Liang Chou.

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Chang, CL., Chiu, CM., Hung, SY. et al. The relationship between quality of life and aerobic fitness in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Clin Rheumatol 28, 685–691 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-009-1132-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-009-1132-0

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