2022 American College of Rheumatology Guideline for Exercise, Rehabilitation, Diet, and Additional Integrative Interventions for Rheumatoid Arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To develop initial American College of Rheumatology (ACR) guidelines on the use of exercise, rehabilitation, diet, and additional interventions in conjunction with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) as part of an integrative management approach for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: An interprofessional guideline development group constructed clinically relevant Population, Intervention, Comparator, and Outcome (PICO) questions. A literature review team then completed a systematic literature review and applied the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to rate the certainty of evidence. An interprofessional Voting Panel (n = 20 participants) that included 3 individuals with RA achieved consensus on the direction (for or against) and strength (strong or conditional) of recommendations. RESULTS: The Voting Panel achieved consensus on 28 recommendations for the use of integrative interventions in conjunction with DMARDs for the management of RA. Consistent engagement in exercise received a strong recommendation. Of 27 conditional recommendations, 4 pertained to exercise, 13 to rehabilitation, 3 to diet, and 7 to additional integrative interventions. These recommendations are specific to RA management, recognizing that other medical indications and general health benefits may exist for many of these interventions. CONCLUSION: This guideline provides initial ACR recommendations on integrative interventions for the management of RA to accompany DMARD treatments. The broad range of interventions included in these recommendations illustrates the importance of an interprofessional, team-based approach to RA management. The conditional nature of most recommendations requires clinicians to engage persons with RA in shared decision-making when applying these recommendations.

2022 American College of Rheumatology Guideline for Exercise, Rehabilitation, Diet, and Additional Integrative Interventions for Rheumatoid Arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To develop initial American College of Rheumatology (ACR) guidelines on the use of exercise, rehabilitation, diet, and additional interventions in conjunction with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) as part of an integrative management approach for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: An interprofessional guideline development group constructed clinically relevant Population, Intervention, Comparator, and Outcome (PICO) questions. A literature review team then completed a systematic literature review and applied the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to rate the certainty of evidence. An interprofessional Voting Panel (n = 20 participants) that included 3 individuals with RA achieved consensus on the direction (for or against) and strength (strong or conditional) of recommendations. RESULTS: The Voting Panel achieved consensus on 28 recommendations for the use of integrative interventions in conjunction with DMARDs for the management of RA. Consistent engagement in exercise received a strong recommendation. Of 27 conditional recommendations, 4 pertained to exercise, 13 to rehabilitation, 3 to diet, and 7 to additional integrative interventions. These recommendations are specific to RA management, recognizing that other medical indications and general health benefits may exist for many of these interventions. CONCLUSION: This guideline provides initial ACR recommendations on integrative interventions for the management of RA to accompany DMARD treatments. The broad range of interventions included in these recommendations illustrates the importance of an interprofessional, team-based approach to RA management. The conditional nature of most recommendations requires clinicians to engage persons with RA in shared decision-making when applying these recommendations.

Web-Based System to Capture Consistent and Complete Real-world Data of Physical Therapy Interventions Following Total Knee Replacement: Design and Evaluation Study.

BACKGROUND: Electronic health records (EHRs) have the potential to facilitate consistent clinical data capture to support excellence in patient care, quality improvement, and knowledge generation. Despite widespread EHR use, the vision to transform health care system and its data to a "learning health care system" generating knowledge from real-world data is limited by the lack of consistent, structured clinical data. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this paper was to demonstrate the design of a web-based structured clinical intervention data capture system and its evaluation in practice. The use case was ambulatory physical therapy (PT) treatment after total knee replacement (TKR), one of the most common and costly procedures today. METHODS: To identify the PT intervention type and intensity (or dose) used to treat patients with knee arthritis following TKR, an iterative user-centered design process refined an initial list of PT interventions generated during preliminary chart reviews. Input from practicing physical therapists and national and international experts refined and categorized the interventions. Next, a web-based, hierarchical structured system for intervention and intensity documentation was designed and deployed. RESULTS: The PT documentation system was implemented by 114 physical therapists agreeing to record all interventions at patient visits. Data for 161 patients with 2615 PT visits were entered by 83 physical therapists. No technical problems with data entry were reported, and data entry required less than 2 minutes per visit. A total of 42 (2%) interventions could not be categorized and were recorded using free text. CONCLUSIONS: The use of user-centered design principles provides a road map for developing clinically feasible data capture systems that employ structured collection of uniform data for use by multiple practitioners across institutions to complement and augment existing EHRs. Secondarily, these data can be analyzed to define best practices and disseminate knowledge to practice.

Characteristics of Usual Physical Therapy Post-Total Knee Replacement and Their Associations With Functional Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: Although total knee replacement (TKR) surgery is highly prevalent and generally successful, functional outcomes post-TKR vary widely. Most patients receive some physical therapy (PT) following TKR, but PT practice is variable and associations between specific content and dose of PT interventions and functional outcomes are unknown. Research has identified exercise interventions associated with better outcomes but studies have not assessed whether such evidence has been translated into clinical practice. We characterized the content, dose, and progression of usual post-acute PT services following TKR, and examined associations of specific details of post-acute PT with patients' 6-month functional outcomes. METHODS: Post-acute PT data were collected from patients who were undergoing primary unilateral TKR and participating in a clinical trial of a phone-based coaching intervention. PT records from the terminal episode of care were reviewed and utilization and exercise content data were extracted. Descriptive statistics and linear regression models characterized PT treatment factors and identified associations with 6-month outcomes. RESULTS: We analyzed 112 records from 30 PT sites. Content and dose of specific exercises and incidence of progression varied widely. Open chain exercises were utilized more frequently than closed chain (median 21 [interquartile range (IQR) 4-49] versus median 13 [IQR 4-28.5]). Median (IQR) occurrence of progression of closed and open chain exercise was 0 (0-2) and 1 (0-3), respectively. Shorter timed stair climb was associated with greater total number of PT interventions and use and progression of closed chain exercises. DISCUSSION: Data suggest that evidence-based interventions are underutilized and dose may be insufficient to obtain optimal outcomes.

Variations in Delivery and Exercise Content of Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Following Total Knee Replacement Surgery: A Cross-Sectional Observation Study.

OBJECTIVE: Prevalence of total knee replacement (TKR) is large and growing but functional outcomes are variable. Physical therapy (PT) is integral to functional recovery following TKR but little is known about the quantity or content of PT delivered. Purposes of this study were to describe the amount and exercise content of PT provided in the terminal episode of PT care following TKR and to examine factors associated with utilization and content. METHODS: Subjects included participants in a clinical trial of behavioral interventions for patients undergoing primary unilateral TKR who had completed the 6-month study evaluation. PT records were requested from 142 consecutive participants who had completed their post-TKR rehabilitation, 102 in/out patient care, and 40 in homecare. Information on utilization and exercises was extracted from a retrospective review of the PT records. RESULTS: We received 90 (88%) outpatient and 27 (68%) homecare PT records. Records showed variability in timing, amount and content of PT. Patients receiving outpatient PT had more visits and remained in PT longer (p<0.001). Exercises known in the TKR literature were utilized more frequently in the outpatient setting (p=0.001) than in home care. Records from both settings had limited documentation of strengthening progression. CONCLUSIONS: The study reveals considerable variability in timing, utilization and exercise content of PT following TKR and suggests sub-optimal exercise for strengthening. While methods we employed document variability, improved systematic PT documentation and in-depth research are needed to identify optimal timing, utilization and content of PT following TKR.

Tailored system to deliver behavioral intervention and manage data in randomized trials.

BACKGROUND: The integrity of behavioral intervention trials depends on consistent intervention delivery, and uniform, comprehensive process data collection. It can be challenging in practice due to complex human interactions involved. OBJECTIVE: We sought to design a system to support the fidelity of intervention delivery and efficient capture of qualitative and quantitative process data for a telephone-delivered behavioral counseling intervention to increase physical activity and function after total knee replacement surgery. METHODS: A tailored system was designed to prompt the intervention coach in the delivery of a 5 step counseling protocol to support intervention fidelity across patients. System features included structured data components, automated data exchange functions, user-friendly data capture screens, and real-time surveillance reporting. The system structured the capture of patient goals and open-ended conversation. RESULTS: The system recorded intervention process data from each of 12 sessions held with the 92 intervention patients. During the trial, 992 telephone sessions were conducted, and more than 97% (4816/4960) of intervention process data fields were completed in the system. The coach spent 5-10 minutes preparing for each counseling call using system-generated summaries of historical data and 10-15 minutes entering intervention process data following each telephone session. CONCLUSIONS: This intervention delivery system successfully supported the delivery of a structured behavioral counseling intervention and collection of intervention process data. It addressed the unique needs of clinical behavioral intervention trials, and had promising potential to facilitate high-fidelity translation of the intervention to broad clinical practice and Web-based multicenter clinical trials in the future.

Correlations among measures of knee stiffness, gait performance and complaints in individuals with knee osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Stiffness is a common complaint in individuals with knee osteoarthritis and is a component of the osteoarthritis diagnosis. Yet the relationship between stiffness and function is poorly understood and methods to quantify stiffness are limited. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional observational design with 66 subjects with knee osteoarthritis, stiffness and damping coefficients were calculated from a relaxed knee oscillation procedure. Gait parameters were measured using an electronic walkway. Self-reported pain, stiffness, and function were measured with the Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index. Correlation and Alexander's normalized-t approximation analyses were used to assess associations among the variables. Subset analysis was performed on subjects with and without tibiofemoral joint crepitus. FINDINGS: Slight to moderate correlations existed between stiffness and damping coefficients and most gait parameters ((| r |=0.30-0.56; P<.05) and between Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index scores and all gait parameters (| r |=0.35-0.62; P<.05). The damping coefficient was only slightly associated with patient-rated Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index stiffness subscale scores. Subset analysis revealed significant correlations that differed between those with and without crepitus. INTERPRETATION: These findings suggest that laboratory measured stiffness and damping coefficients, Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index scores and gait-related measurements assess different aspects related to movement in individuals with knee osteoarthritis. Stiffness and damping coefficients may offer the ability to explain gait changes in the knee that are independent of a person's perceptions particularly in the early stages of the disease.

Nonconscious priming of elderly or youthful stereotypes influences walking velocity in healthy undergraduates.

Psychological studies of "priming" effects document that covertly presented stimuli can influence behavior without participant awareness. We examined whether nonconscious priming can influence walking velocity on an instrumented walkway. Fifty-nine healthy participants were randomly assigned to unscramble sentences and answer self-concept questions containing words related to either the concepts elderly/passive or youthful/active. Walking velocity was measured before and after this priming manipulation. An ANOVA revealed a significant Group×Time interaction; the elderly/passive group showed a decrease in walking velocity over time while the youthful/active group showed an increase. None of the participants expressed any awareness of the study purpose and the experimenter was blind to group assignment. These results suggest that spoken or written material received by patients prior to gait assessments (such as casual conversations or written health inventories) might influence walking performance outside of client or clinician awareness.

Knee joint stiffness in individuals with and without knee osteoarthritis: a preliminary study.

STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive, case-matched comparison. OBJECTIVES: To compare the knee joint stiffness and damping coefficients of individuals with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) to those of age- and gender-matched individuals without KOA. A secondary purpose was to investigate relationships between these coefficients and complaints of stiffness in individuals with KOA. BACKGROUND: KOA is a leading cause of disability, and stiffness is a common complaint in individuals with KOA. Yet the most common method of assessing knee joint stiffness is through a self-report questionnaire. METHODS AND MEASURES: Stiffness and damping coefficients at the knee were calculated in 10 volunteers (mean age +/- SD, 64.1+/-15.5 years) with KOA and compared to coefficients from age-and gender-matched individuals without KOA, collected in a previous study (mean age +/- SD, 62.1+/-13.9 years). Stiffness and damping coefficients were calculated from the angular motion of the knee during a relaxed oscillation. Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated between stiffness and damping coefficients and WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index) scores for subjects with KOA. RESULTS: Independent 2-tailed t tests revealed significantly larger damping coefficients (P = .035) among those with KOA (95% CI, 0.10-2.32 Nm s/rad). Spearman rank correlations revealed a significant positive relationship (r = .85, P = .003) between the damping coefficient and the stiffness subscore of the WOMAC. CONCLUSION: This study offers preliminary data demonstrating the feasibility of measuring stiffness and damping coefficients in individuals with KOA. Additionally, the damping coefficient is increased in people with KOA when compared to age- and gender-matched individuals without KOA. The damping coefficient appears to be associated with the complaints of stiffness reported by the WOMAC.

Phase I design and evaluation of an isometric muscle reeducation device for knee osteoarthritis rehabilitation.

Our long-term goal is to improve adherence to a home-based isometric program for rehabilitation of knee osteoarthritis (OA) using a force-biofeedback device (Isopad). Our goal for Phase I was to design and evaluate an Isopad-based program in a supervised clinical setting. Our subjects were five patients with knee OA of Kellgren stage II or greater. A capacitive force sensor was tested for accuracy, repeatability, and durability. An Arthritis Foundation home-based isometric program inspired the Isopad design. The Isopad provided visual and auditory feedback instantaneously and continuously about force generated between the ankles. The five subjects completed a supervised 8-week progressive isometric program using the Isopad. Absolute isolated quadriceps and hamstring torques were quantified with a dynamometer, and patients completed a self-assessment of symptoms (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index). The capacitive sensor accuracy error averaged 10% and repeatability 4%. Cognitively intact subjects used the Isopad successfully for isometric progressive resistance training. Quadriceps and hamstrings absolute torques increased an average of 30%. Patients reported decreased functional complaints (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis Index). All changes were trends. The Isopad helped subjects with knee OA adhere to a supervised isometric program and meet progressive strength targets. The next-generation Isopad will be employed in a home-based program.