Investigating physical inactivity and associated health parameters in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

BACKGROUND: Physical inactivity, which is highly prevalent in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events and causes many complications. This study aimed to investigate the effect of objective measurement and physical activity level on peripheral muscle strength, exercise capacity, pain, dyspnea, fatigue, anxiety, and depression in patients with SLE. METHODS: The present cross-sectional study analyzed 41 patients with SLE. Clinical and demographic characteristics of patients were recorded. Functional exercise capacity, peripheral muscle strength, dyspnea, pain, fatigue, anxiety, and depression were assessed. The physical activity level was assessed by a wearable activity tracker (Mi Band four smart band). RESULTS: The number of steps measured by the activity tracker was 4384.43 ± 1558.21 steps per day in patients with SLE. Patients with physical activity levels below 5000 steps exhibited elevated levels of fatigue, along with diminished functional exercise capacity and knee muscle strength, in comparison to those who were above the 5000-step threshold. Physical activity levels correlated with functional exercise capacity (6MWT), physiological parameters (maximum heart rate, Δ heart rate, Δ dyspnea, QFM fatigue, Δ QFM fatigue), and knee extension muscle strength. The functional exercise capacity and knee extension were identified as significantly and dependently associated with physical activity levels in SLE patients. CONCLUSION: Physical activity level is associated with functional exercise capacity and knee muscle strength in patients with SLE.

Test-retest reliability and validity of the 6 minute stepper test to evaluate functional exercise capacity in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

OBJECTIVES: The 6-minute stepper test (6MST) is a submaximal test that requires little space to assess exercise capacity compared to the 6-minute walk test (6MWT). The study aims to investigate the test-retest reliability and convergent validity of 6MST and to compare physiological responses, dyspnea, fatigue perception with 6MST and 6MWT in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). METHODS: To test the convergent validity of 6MST, 65 patients performed both 6MWT and 6MST on the first day and correlation between two tests were assessed with Pearson correlation test. In order to investigate the test-retest reliability of the 6MST, 32 of the 65 patients performed 6MST one week later and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated. Dyspnea and fatigue perception were analyzed with using Wilcoxon signed-rank test, physiological responses were analyzed using paired sample t-test. RESULTS: Excellent test-retest reliability was observed for 6MST (ICC: 0.988). There was a significant correlation between 6MST and 6MWT (r: 0.725, p < 0.001). Dyspnea and leg fatigue perception were significantly higher in 6MST (p < 0.05). Physiological responses and fatigue perception were similar in both 6MST and 6MWT (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the 6MST is reliable and valid method to evaluate exercise capacity in patients with AS. 6MST can be used to evaluate exercise capacity of patients with AS.