title: Muscle performance in patients with Crohn's disease in clinical remission.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Because patients with Crohn's disease (CD) often show increased energy expenditure, nutritional deficiencies, and general fatigue, all which may persist after a flare, we hypothesized that CD could alter muscle mass and function. This study aimed to assess muscle strength and endurance in CD patients in clinical remission and the influencing factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one outpatients (17 men and 24 women; age, 37 +/- 10 yr), in remission (CD Activity Index < 150) for > 3 months, and 25 age-matched healthy controls (10 men and 15 women; age, 37 +/- 13 yr) were evaluated. Evaluation included a sit-up test, hand-grip strength test, hand-grip endurance test, lower limb strength test, and lower limb endurance test (LE), as well as a measure of physical activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference was found between CD and control groups regarding weight, height, body mass index, fat mass, and fat-free mass. Strength performance was lower in CD subjects compared with controls, particularly for lower limb indexes: lower limb strength test (-24.6%, P < 0.001), LE (-25.8%, P < 0.001), and sit-up test (-25.1%, P < 0.001). Previous disease severity, disease duration, the cumulative dose of glucocorticosteroids, current inflammation, and global habitual physical activity did not affect muscle performance. A recent use of steroids improved LE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CD patients in clinical remission have decreased muscle function that may affect their quality of life. This pattern is reflected by reduced strength and endurance indexes, particularly for lower limbs. The reasons for these changes need further study. Strength training should be assessed in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Ergonomie Sportive et Performance, UFR STAPS, Université du Sud-Toulon Var, France. wiroth@univ-tln.fr
authors.forename: Jean-Baptiste
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Wiroth
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Filippi
authors.forename: Stéphane M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Rima
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Al-Jaouni
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Horvais
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gavarry
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bermon
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hébuterne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000209:etiology*; D010807:Physical Endurance; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D013256:Steroids