Lifestyle medicine interventions, such as dietary changes, movement and mindfulness, in combination with conventional treatment, may help alleviate symptoms of rheumatic disease, according to panelists at ACR Convergence 2023.
Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Lower Women’s Risk of Developing Rheumatoid Arthritis
Using data from cohorts with detailed lifestyle data and lengthy follow-up, Hahn et al. demonstrated that healthy lifestyle behaviors are associated with a lower risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA), concluding that a substantial proportion of RA may be preventable.
Non-Pharmacological Interventions & Management of RA-Related Fatigue
Often, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients struggle with fatigue, and the cause of the fatigue remains unclear. Past research suggests RA-related fatigue may be moderately improved by physical activity. A recent narrative review supports these prior findings, noting that patients also benefit moderately from psychosocial interventions…
Year in Review: Rheumatic Disease Research in 2019
ATLANTA—Encouraging data on interleukin (IL) 23/IL-17 pathway drugs in psoriatic arthritis (PsA), JAK inhibitors in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment and new evidence on physical activity and bone health in women were among the highlights of the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting’s Clinical Year in Review. Susan Manzi, MD, MPH, director of the Lupus Center for Excellence…
Physical Activity Reduces Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis
A recent study has taken a more detailed look at the relationship between physical activity and the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Researchers found the more patients exercised weekly the lower their overall risk, specifically brisk and very brisk walking paces, along with longer cumulative average walking hours weekly were associated with a reduced risk for RA…
No Gain with Pain: Exercise & Physical Function in Patients with Rheumatic Disease
Pain can deter patients with rheumatic disease from engaging in physical activity. But the latest research shows exercise helps reduce pain, & other influences may also affect patients’ activity levels, particularly after surgery…
Long-Term Physical Activity Lowers the Risk of RA among Women
A new study adds to the evidence that metabolic factors play an important role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this large, prospective cohort study, Liu et al. found that increased physical activity among women was associated with a reduced risk of RA…
Walking Ability of OA Patients Linked to Cardiovascular Risk
New research explores the association of the ability to walk and the risk of cardiovascular disease in OA patients compared with the general population. During the study, researchers recorded a six-minute walking distance and measured arterial stiffness of participants. The results: Even among younger people, OA patients could not walk as far as those in the general population. Also, arterial stiffness was inversely associated with walking distance, suggesting walking is important to the cardiovascular risk profile of OA patients…
Low Muscle Density & Physical Function in Patients with RA
Low muscle density due to the accumulation of intramuscular fat has been observed in RA patients and is associated with higher disease activity. New research sought to understand the relationship between muscle density, physical function and strength independent of body composition, including such factors as total and visceral adiposity. The results: Compared with healthy controls, low muscle density in RA patients was associated with low muscle mass, excess adiposity and greater disability…
Physical & Cognitive Function in SLE Patients
New research used multidomain function assessment to better understand the physical and cognitive functioning of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. The pilot study found a high prevalence of impairment in SLE patients, similar to or exceeding the prevalence seen in the general geriatric population. Patients scored lower for lower body strength and low average for cognitive flexibility and attention…