title: Isokinetic and isometric muscle strength in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The relationship to clinical parameters and the influence of corticosteroid.
abstract: The isometric and isokinetic muscle strength of the legs in forty-six women with rheumatoid arthritis was measured using a Cybex II dynamometer. Twenty-six of the patients had been treated with corticosteroid - prednisone - some for several years (mean 8 years, range 1-35). Twenty-three healthy age-matched women served as a comparable group (controls). In patients treated with prednisone the mean maximal isokinetic muscle strength of the knee extensors was between 64 +/- 26 Nm (SD) and 43 +/- 18 Nm (SD) at the preset angular velocities 30 degrees/s and 180 degrees/s, respectively, which was a reduction to 54%-55% of that found in controls (p less than 0.001). In patients who had not received prednisone the mean maximal isokinetic strength was between 99 +/- 39 Nm (SD) and 67 +/- 27 Nm (SD) which was a reduction to 84%-86% of that found in controls (p less than 0.05). The force velocity curve showed a parallel decrease in maximal strength with increasing velocity when comparing patients with rheumatoid arthritis to controls. Also on measuring the isokinetic muscle strength of plantar flexors a significantly lower mean maximal torque was found in patients treated with prednisone, (33 +/- 21 Nm (SD) (p less than 0.01] as compared with a control group (50 +/- 28 Nm (SD]. The patients who had not been treated with prednisone showed a lower, but not significantly lower isokinetic strength of the plantar flexors, 46 +/- 22 Nm (SD) at a corresponding angular velocity, 30 degrees/s.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009132:Muscles / Q000187:drug effects; D011241:Prednisone / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D011241:Prednisone