Association of physical fitness components and health-related quality of life in women with systemic lupus erythematosus with mild disease activity

Abstract

Objectives To study the association of different components of physical fitness [flexibility, muscle strength and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF)] and a clustered fitness score with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to analyze whether participants with high fitness level have better HRQoL. Methods This cross-sectional study included 70 women with SLE (aged 42.5; SD 13.9 years). The back-scratch test assessed flexibility, the 30-sec chair stand and handgrip strength tests assessed muscle strength, and the 6-min walk test ( n = 49) assessed CRF. HRQoL was assessed through the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Results Flexibility was positively associated with the physical function dimension and the physical component summary (PCS) (r partial between 0.26 and 0.31; p <0.05), and negatively related with social functioning dimension (r partial = -0.26; p <0.05). Muscle strength was positively associated with the physical function, physical role, bodily pain dimensions and the PCS (r partial between 0.27 and 0.49; all p <0.05). CRF was positively associated with the physical function and bodily pain dimensions, and PCS (r partial between 0.39 and 0.65; all p <0.05). The clustered fitness score was associated with the physical function ( B = 17.16) and bodily pain ( B = 14.35) dimensions, and the PCS ( B = 6.02), all p <0.005. Patients with high fitness level had greater scores in the physical function, physical role, and bodily pain dimensions and the PCS, all p ≤0.05. Conclusions Our study suggests that muscle strength and CRF are positively associated with HRQoL, while flexibility showed contradictory results. These findings highlight the importance of maintaining adequate fitness levels in women with SLE.

Muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness are associated with health-related quality of life among young adult men

“…The results of the adjusted (age, educational level, marital status, employment status, smoking, use of alcohol and BMI) analysis showed that a higher fitness level is associated with both physical and mental components of HRQoL. This finding is consistent with the previous study on young men in the United States navy of Sloan et al [10], but partly inconsistent with the study on women with chronic conditions by Gavilan-Carrera [4] which suggested that fitness levels can only predict physical components of HRQoL. The present study allows suggestions of a positive association also between mental components of HRQoL and physical fitness.…”

“…Similar associations were also found in the sample of another similar cross-sectional study by Häkkinen et al [9], but without examining muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness separately. Previous studiesmainly with incomparable samples -have particularly highlighted the importance of muscular fitness on HRQoL, for example, among women with autoimmune diseases [4] and in early post-menopause [8] as well as among children [34]. Evidence of cardiorespiratory fitness contributing to the physical well-being dimension of HRQoL has been found in adolescents [35], as well as in young [10] and middle-aged men [11].…”

“…3 UKK institute for Health Promotion, Tampere, Finland. 4 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Health Sciences / Central Hospital of Central Finland, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland. 5 Centre for Military Medicine, Helsinki, Finland.…”

“…Evidence regarding the relationship between the level of physical fitness and HRQoL, however, is limited. To date, studies related to this topic have most commonly focused on specific target groups with specific health concerns [3][4][5][6] or conditions [7,8] finding a positive relationship between physical fitness and HRQoL. Only few studies have explored this association in the general adult population [9][10][11], but not separately for muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness.…”

The impact of low muscle function on health-related quality of life in Indonesian women with systemic lupus erythematosus

“…3 This process was shown not only affecting the elderly but also in younger population, 4 especially those with chronic underlying conditions, such as autoimmunity and cancer. 5 Indeed, several studies have shown lower muscle function in individuals with lupus, 6 , 7 and it was associated with lower quality of life and functional status. 8 , 9…”