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Increased Prolonged Sitting in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Within-Subjects, Accelerometer-Based Study
journal contribution
posted on 2023-03-24, 04:23 authored by AJ Pinto, D Rezende, SM Sieczkowska, K Meireles, K Bonfiglioli, ACDM Ribeiro, E Bonfá, N Owen, David DunstanDavid Dunstan, H Roschel, B GualanoBackground: Social distancing measures designed to contain the COVID-19 pandemic can restrict physical activity, a particular concern for high-risk patient groups. We assessed rheumatoid arthritis patients’ physical activity and sedentary behavior level, pain, fatigue, and health-related quality of life prior to and during the social distancing measures implemented in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Methods: Post-menopausal females diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis were assessed before (from March 2018 to March 2020) and during (from 24 May to 7 July 2020) social distancing measures to contain COVID-19 pandemic, using a within-subjects, repeated-measure design. Physical activity and sedentary behavior were assessed using accelerometry (ActivPAL micro). Pain, fatigue, and health-related quality of life were assessed by questionnaires. Results: Mean age was 60.9 years and BMI was 29.5 Kg/m2. Disease activity ranged from remission to moderate activity. During social distancing, there were reductions in light-intensity activity (13.0% [−0.2 h/day, 95% CI: −0.4 to −0.04; p = 0.016]) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (38.8% [−4.5 min/day, 95% CI: −8.1 to −0.9; p = 0.015]), but not in standing time and sedentary time. However, time spent in prolonged bouts of sitting ≥30 min increased by 34% (1.0 h/day, 95% CI: 0.3 to 1.7; p = 0.006) and ≥60 min increased by 85% (1.0 h/day, 95% CI: 0.5 to 1.6). There were no changes in pain, fatigue, and health-related quality of life (all p > 0.050). Conclusions: Imposed social distancing measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak were associated with decreased physical activity and increased prolonged sedentary behavior, but did not change clinical symptoms sitting among patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
History
Journal
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public HealthVolume
20Article number
3944Pagination
3944-3944Location
SwitzerlandPublisher DOI
ISSN
1661-7827eISSN
1660-4601Language
enIssue
5Publisher
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No categories selectedKeywords
fatiguehealth-related quality of lifeinflammatory arthritispainphysical activity levelsedentary behaviorFemaleHumansMiddle AgedQuality of LifePandemicsCOVID-19BrazilArthritis, RheumatoidAccelerometryFatiguePainPreventionBehavioral and Social ScienceClinical ResearchRehabilitationChronic PainPain ResearchArthritis3 Good Health and Well Being
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