Changes in physical function over time in rheumatoid arthritis patients: A cohort study.

Abstract

IntroductionSelf-reported disability is potentially influenced by many factors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this sense, we evaluated the association between self-reported disability and (1) clinical features, (2) muscle strength and (3) physical performance over time among patients with RA from two distinct patient cohorts.Materials and methodsTwo independent prospective RA cohorts were analyzed. The Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), Disease Activity Score in 28 Joints (DAS28), handgrip test, chair stand test, timed-up-and-go (TUG) test and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) were performed at baseline and in follow-up. T test for independent samples, Mann-Whitney U test, Spearman correlation coefficients and linear regression with generalized estimating equations were performed to assess associations between individual constructs at baseline and over time.ResultsA total of 205 total RA patients were included [North American Cohort (n = 115); Brazilian Cohort (n = 90)]. At enrollment, Brazilian men had better HAQ than North American men (pConclusionGreater disability measured by HAQ is closely associated with disease activity, pain, muscle strength, and physical performance among RA. Worsening in self-reported disability correlate with worsening clinical factors including objectively-observed physical function.