Changes of patient-reported outcomes and protein fingerprint biomarkers after exercise therapy for axial spondyloarthritis

The Effects of Pilates Exercise Training Combined with Walking on Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Functional Capacity, and Disease Activity in Patients with Non-Radiologically Confirmed Axial Spondylitis

The objective of the study was to examine the effects of Pilates exercise training combined with walking on cardiorespiratory fitness, functional capacity, and disease activity in patients with non-radiologically confirmed axial spondylitis (nr-axSpA). Thirty patients with nr-axSpA (seven women (90%), with a mean age of 46.07 ± 10.48 years old and C-reactive protein (CRP) 2.26 ± 2.14 mg/L) were randomly divided into two groups: A (n1 = 15 patients) and B (n2 = 15 patients). Group A followed a 6-month home-based Pilates exercise training program, while Group B remained untrained until the end of the study. A cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET), timed up and go test (TUG), five times sit-to-stand test (5×STS), sit-and-reach test (SR), back scratch test for the right (BSR) and the left arm (BSL), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), and Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) were applied to all patients, both at the beginning and at the end of the study. After 6 months, Group A showed higher values in exercise time by 37.41% (p = 0.001), higher peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) by 25.41% (p = 0.01), a higher ratio between oxygen uptake and maximum heart rate (VO2/HRmax) by 14.83% (p = 0.04), and higher SR by 18.70% (p = 0.007), while lower values were observed in TUG by 24.32% (p = 0.001), 5×STS by 12.13% (p = 0.001), BASDAI score by 20.00% (p = 0.04) and ASDAS score by 23.41% (p = 0.03), compared to Group B. Furthermore, linear regression analysis showed a positive correlation in Group A between BASDAI and 5×STS (r = 0.584, p = 0.02), BASDAI and TUG (r = 0.538, p = 0.03), and ASDAS and 5×STS (r = 0.538, p = 0.03), while a negative correlation was found between BASDAI and VO2peak (r = -0.782, p < 0.001), ASDAS and SR (r = -0.548, p = 0.03), and ASDAS and VO2peak (r = -0.659, p = 0.008). To sum up, cardiorespiratory fitness, functional capacity, and disease activity improved after a long-term Pilates exercise training program in patients with nr-axSpA.

Physical therapy in axial spondyloarthritis: guidelines, evidence and clinical practice

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Physical therapy is recommended for the management of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) with the focus of promoting physical activity and prescribing exercise within four domains, outlined recently by the European League against Rheumatism (EULAR): aerobic, resistance, flexibility and neuro-motor exercise. There is an increasing evidence base to support physical therapy interventions in axSpA.

RECENT FINDINGS

We present evidence supporting the use of exercise as treatment for patients with axSpA, recent updates among different exercise modalities, and make clear its critical place in the management of this condition. Recent large, multicentre data have shown that high-intensity exercise can improve disease activity and also positively impact cardiovascular risk factors in these patients. Although international treatment guidelines advocate the inclusion of physical activity and exercise for the optimal management of axSpA, specific guidance about the amount of exercise required to produce a beneficial effect is lacking.

SUMMARY

Exercise must be used in the management of axSpA, and whilst hydrotherapy and flexibility exercises are traditionally the main focus, other applications, such as strength training, may be underutilized domains. Further studies are needed to determine the dose-response relationship between exercise and axSpA patient subsets.

Assessing Physical Activity and Sleep in Axial Spondyloarthritis: Measuring the Gap

Patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) frequently report pain, stiffness, fatigue, and sleep problems, which may lead to impaired physical activity. The majority of reported-on measures evaluating physical activity and sleep disturbance in axSpA are self-reported questionnaires, which can be impacted by patient recall (reporting bias). One objective measure, polysomnography, has been employed to evaluate sleep in patients with axSpA; however, it is an intrusive measure and cannot be used over the long term. More convenient objective measures are therefore needed to allow for the long-term assessment of both sleep and physical activity in patients' daily lives. Wearable technology that utilizes actigraphy is increasingly being used for the objective measurement of physical activity and sleep in various therapy areas, as it is unintrusive and suitable for continuous tracking to allow longitudinal assessment. Actigraphy characterizes sleep disruption as restless movement while sleeping, which is particularly useful when studying conditions such as axSpA in which chronic pain and discomfort due to stiffness may be evident. Studies have also shown that actigraphy can effectively assess the impact of disease on physical activity. More research is needed to establish the usefulness of objective monitoring of sleep and physical activity specifically in axSpA patients over time. This review summarizes the current perspectives on physical activity and sleep quality in patients with axSpA, and the possible role of actigraphy in the future to more accurately evaluate the impact of treatment interventions on sleep and physical activity in axSpA.Funding: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.Plain Language Summary: Plain language summary available for this article.

New Insights in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation in Axial Spondyloarthritis: A Review

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic and inflammatory rheumatic disease characterized by pain, structural and functional impairments, and reduced mobility and potential deformity of the axial skeleton. Treatment of axSpA includes pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapy. However, in the biologic era, unmet needs still remain for patients intolerant to or non-responders to biologic drugs and despite the development of new treatments, physical therapy and rehabilitation are of crucial importance in the management of axSpA patients. The aim of this manuscript is to review the current evidence on the assessment, physical therapy, and rehabilitation in axSpA patients.