The efficiency of home and outpatient exercise program in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Dalia Veitienė, Marija Tamulaitienė

Center of Gerontology and Rehabilitation, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University, Lithuania

Key words: rheumatoid arthritis, exercise, efficiency.

Summary. Objective. To compare the efficiency of home and outpatient exercise program in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis were randomly assigned to home exercise program group and outpatient exercise program group. Variables of muscle and hand strength, joint mobility, visual analog scale of pain were assessed before and after the 3 months exercise course.

Results. Out of 43 patients, 31 completed the study. Both groups improved in measures of muscle strength, joint mobility and pain. Differences between groups were statistically significant for measures of grip strength in the home exercise group (p=0.0001), and joint mobility – in the outpatient exercise group (p=0.047).

Conclusions. Exercise program was more effective in improving grip strength in the home exercise program group and joint mobility improved more in the outpatient exercise group.

Correspondence to D. Veitienė, Center of Gerontology and Rehabilitation, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University, Kalvarijų 323, 2000 Vilnius, Lithuania. E-mail: daliaveitiene@takas.lt

Received 20 March 2003, accepted 15 December 2003