Ob. Cimen et al., Pulmonary function tests, aerobic capacity, respiratory muscle strength and endurance of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, CLIN RHEUMA, 20(3), 2001, pp. 168-173
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) show lower cardiorespiratory fitnes
s than normal subjects. This study was planned to investigate the pulmonary
function tests (PFT), respiratory muscle strength and endurance, and aerob
ic capacity of patients with RA, as well as the relationship of these param
eters to clinical and functional status. Twenty-five RA patients aged 25-71
(48.52 +/- 14.09) and 21 control subjects aged 25-66 (45.67 +/- 13.27) par
ticipated in the study. PFT, maximum volunteer ventilation, maximum inspira
tory and maximum expiratory pressures and cardiorespiratory exercise tests
were carried out in all subjects to evaluate the respiratory involvement, i
nspiratory and expiratory muscle strength and endurance, and aerobic capaci
ty. Patients' duration of disease, smoking and alcohol habits, duration of
morning stiffness, visual analogue scale scores, ARA functional classificat
ions and Ritchie articular indexes were recorded. All the patients and cont
rol subjects were non-exercising individuals. As a result. we found that RA
patients have normal PFT but reduced respiratory muscle strength and endur
ance, and also reduced aerobic capacity compared to controls. According to
this result, respiratory and aerobic exercises may be recommended to improv
e respiratory muscle strength and endurance and aerobic capacity in these p
atients.