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High-intensity Walking Lowers Disease Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis

July 2, 2018
Gregory M. Weiss, MD

Reassure patients with RA that exercise is safe and may lead to better functional status and improved cardiorespiratory function.

Reference1. Bartlett DB, Willis LH, Slentz CA, et al. Ten weeks of high-intensity interval walk training is associated with reduced disease activity and improved innate immune function in older adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a pilot study. Arthritis Res Ther. 2018;20:127. doi:10.1186/s13075-018-1624-x.

Bartlett and fellow researchers at Duke University in Durham, NC, determined that high-intensity walking was well tolerated in older patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA); it lowered disease activity, improved cardiovascular (CV) fitness and immune function, and reduced infection risk.1

Scroll through the slides for the details of the study and the take-home points for clinicians.

(Image credit: ©Wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock.com)

CVD, cardiovascular disease.

CVD, cardiovascular disease; VO2, volume of oxygen.

HADS, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

CXCL, chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand; HIIT, High-Intensity Interval Training; IL, interleukin; TNF, tumor necrosis factor.

Body composition, including body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage, were unchanged following training (both P > .05). No changes were observed for IL-1β, IL-6, CXCL-8, TNF-α, or the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 (all P > .05).

CV, cardiovascular.

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