Increased flexibility, pain reduction and unaltered levels of IL-10 and CD11b + lymphocytes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus were associated with kinesiotherapy

Abstract

The effect of physical activity on the immune system is still poorly understood in cases of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Therefore, our aim was to investigate differences in the serum levels of cytokines (IL-2, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and TNF-α) and the numbers of CD11b + and CXCR2 + neutrophils and lymphocytes in women with SLE undergoing drug treatment, without ( n = 9) or with ( n = 5) 4 months of kinesiotherapy. Parameters related to functional capacity were also analyzed. In the case of the patients who were not submitted to kinesiotherapy, there were reductions in the levels of IL-5, IL-6 and IL-10, and an increase in the number of CD11b + leukocytes, in addition to an increase in abdominal circumference after the monitoring time. Patients submitted to kinesiotherapy did not present changes in serum cytokines or in the numbers of CD11b + and CXCR2 + neutrophils and lymphocytes, but there were increases of flexibility and strength, as well as a reduction in pain sensation after the monitoring time. In conclusion, kinesiotherapy was able to increase flexibility and reduce pain in SLE patients without influencing immune parameters.

The impact of upper limb exercise on function, daily activities and quality of life in systemic lupus erythematosus: a pilot randomised controlled trial

“…These findings were in accordance with the results of Lamb et al for RA patients 6. Another important finding was that the exercise group presented a significant decrease of pain in all time points compared with control group, in accordance with the results of other studies in SLE patients26 or RA patients 27–29. However, some studies failed to present post-exercise decrease in pain in SLE patients30 and RA patients,31 32 likely due to different types of the exercise programme.…”

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

“…Nevertheless, these exploratory findings need to be assessed in detail in future studies. Despite of these results, flexibility has recently gained attention due to its potential role in cardiometabolic health [49] and pain reduction in SLE [19] and its inclusion in exercise programs is currently encouraged [50]. Future interventions studies are needed to examine these contradictory findings regarding flexibility and to determine the adequate regimes of intensity, frequency, and progression for possible health benefits in patients with SLE.…”

“…In addition to medical therapy, non-pharmacological therapies, such as exercise, seems to be an efficient and safe alternative to improve physical fitness [10], symptomatology and HRQoL of patients with SLE [11,12]. Aerobic training [13–18], as well as strength and flexibility training [13,18,19] have shown a variable efficacy in improving diverse dimensions of HRQoL in SLE. Noteworthy, exercise interventions are typically poorly described and provide insufficient information to warrant replication and a clear understanding on how the different components of physical fitness must be trained along an intervention period for SLE.…”

Effects of 12-week Aerobic Exercise on Arterial Stiffness, Inflammation, and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Women with Systemic LUPUS Erythematosus: Non-Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Perandini et al observed that a single bout (i.e., 30 min) of aerobic exercise (i.e., either at 50% or 70% of VO 2peak ) did not increase inflammation in women with either active or inactive SLE [22], and that 12 weeks of aerobic training ( n = 8) tended to reduce inflammation in comparison to a control group ( n = 10) [23]. Timoteo et al [24], however, did not observe changes in IL-6 or TNF-α in the combined exercise (i.e., flexibility, resistance and aerobic training) group ( n = 5) compared to the control group ( n = 9). Overall, these studies had a small sample size and the exercise programs were not comprehensively described to allow replication or application in clinical practice.…”