© 1989 British Society for Rheumatology
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EFFECTS OF AEROBIC CONDITIONING IN LUPUS FATIGUE: A PILOT STUDY





*Department of Rheumatology/Immunology, and the Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
Robert B. Brigham Multipurpose Arthritis Center Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
Rehabilitation Services Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
Cardiac Rehabilitation; Brigham and Women's Hospital Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
Correspondence to:
Correspondence to Dr. Robb-Nicholson, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Fatigue, a complex symptom, significantly affects the quality of life in many patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). To understand this phenomenon, 23 patients with SLE and fatigue were studied. Standardized tests of depression (NIMH), fatigue, exercise tolerance (ETT) on a bicycle ergometer, and SLE activity were obtained.
At baseline, SLE patients had significantly lower maximum oxygen consumption (Vbj max) than normals (p << 0.005). Adjusted for age and sex, SLE patients perform at 54% of their expected maximum Vo2, which is similar to published data from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Depression by NIMH was not correlated with Vo2 max or length of time on ETT. Fatigue measured by Profile of Mood States (POMS) was correlated with ETT time (r = 0.476, p << 0.025) and with Vfoj max (r = 0.402, p << 0.07).
After an 8-week aerobic conditioning programme the experimental group increased their aerobic capacity by 19% in contrast to 8% in controls. This change correlated with decreased fatigue as measured by visual analogue scales. Exercise did not exacerbate disease, and only two of 16 experimental subjects experienced transient joint symptoms during exercise.
KEY WORDS: Systemic lupus erythematosus, Depression, Mood, Oxygen consumption, Aerobic exercise, Fatigue
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