Affiliations: [a] Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Department,
Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey | [b] Internal Medicine Department Rheumatology Division,
Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Sibel Eyigor, MD, Ege University,
Faculty of Medicine, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Department, 35100
Bornova, Izmir, Turkey. Fax: +90 2323428716; E-mail: eyigor@hotmail.com
Abstract: Backgroud and objectives: In patients with rheumatoid arthritis
(RA), some muscle groups are affected in different stages of disease,
especially those related to the affected joint. However, data on associations
between functional performance and muscle strength in RA are few. Therefore we
sought to determine whether isokinetic ankle plantarflexion (PF) and
dorsiflexion (DF) strength was affected in RA patients and to study the
association between isokinetic strength and other clinical indicators of
disability such as walking and stair-climbing time and disease activity in
patients with RA. Methods: Thirty three patients diagnosed with RA in the
chronic phase were selected from a rheumatology outpatient clinic and matched
for age and gender with 33 healthy subjects. Isometric and isokinetic muscle
strength was measured in DF and PF. The subjects were also evaluated through
the Stanford Health Assessment Questionaire (HAQ), walking and stair-climbing
time. Cumulative and current steroid doses (CSD) were calculated. Results: No significant correlations were found between muscle strength and
visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, HAQ, ankle involvement, CSD (p>0.05).
With respect to the isokinetic parameters, no differences have been been
observed between RA and control groups (p>0.05). Walking and
stair-climbing time increased significantly (p<0.05) in patients with RA. Conclusions: Ankle isokinetic muscle strength is not affected in inactive
RA patients while negative effects of steroids on muscle strength were not
demonstrated. Important determinators of walking ability in RA patients should
be defined in future studies.
