Mariana de Almeida Lourenço1, Izabela Roma2, Marcos Renato de Assis2. 1. Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: maalmeida1@terra.com.br. 2. Faculdade de Medicina de Marília (Famema), Marília, SP, Brazil.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the occurrence of falls reported by rheumatoid arthritis patients and its relation to disease activity, functional capacity and physical fitness. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study constituted by a sample of 97 rheumatoid arthritis patients from the city of Marília (SP) from 2012 to 2013, were assessed for disease activity. Instruments validated for Brazilian population in order to evaluate physical and functional capacity were used. Data analysis was carried out with descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation and Chi-squared test, considering p<0.05. RESULTS: 88.7% were female subjects with a mean age of 56 (±11.7) years. The median duration of rheumatoid arthritis was 10 years (P25=6 and P75=17) and the mean of disease activity was 3.6 (±1.3), what was considered a moderate activity. In the last 12 months 37.1% of patients experienced at least one fall, with a total of 52 episodes, and fear of falling was reported by 74.2% of them, but this was not associated to the occurrence of a fall (χ2=1.19, p=0.27). Gender, number of medications, age, disease activity, duration of rheumatoid arthritis, functional capacity, and physical tests showed no associations with history of falls in the past year. CONCLUSION: It was observed that the occurrence of falls and the fear of falling are quite common in this population. The occurrence of falls in this sample of rheumatoid arthritis patients bears no relation to disease activity, functional capacity, or physical fitness tests.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the occurrence of falls reported by rheumatoid arthritispatients and its relation to disease activity, functional capacity and physical fitness. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study constituted by a sample of 97 rheumatoid arthritispatients from the city of Marília (SP) from 2012 to 2013, were assessed for disease activity. Instruments validated for Brazilian population in order to evaluate physical and functional capacity were used. Data analysis was carried out with descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation and Chi-squared test, considering p<0.05. RESULTS: 88.7% were female subjects with a mean age of 56 (±11.7) years. The median duration of rheumatoid arthritis was 10 years (P25=6 and P75=17) and the mean of disease activity was 3.6 (±1.3), what was considered a moderate activity. In the last 12 months 37.1% of patients experienced at least one fall, with a total of 52 episodes, and fear of falling was reported by 74.2% of them, but this was not associated to the occurrence of a fall (χ2=1.19, p=0.27). Gender, number of medications, age, disease activity, duration of rheumatoid arthritis, functional capacity, and physical tests showed no associations with history of falls in the past year. CONCLUSION: It was observed that the occurrence of falls and the fear of falling are quite common in this population. The occurrence of falls in this sample of rheumatoid arthritispatients bears no relation to disease activity, functional capacity, or physical fitness tests.
Authors: Daniel Héctor Verdecchia; Agustina Maria Monzón; Valentina Urbina Jaimes; Laercio da Silva Paiva; Fernando Rocha Oliveira; Tatiana Dias de Carvalho Journal: Arch Physiother Date: 2020-07-08