title: Effects of an educational-behavioral joint protection program on people with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: The aim of this study was to asses the effects on pain, disability, and health status of an educational-behavioral joint protection program in a group of moderate-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Eighty-five subjects with RA in treatment with anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) drugs (infliximab) were enrolled into the study and randomized into either an experimental group (46, EG) or a control group (39, CG). We organized four EG meetings, which included information on pathophysiology and evolution of RA, joint protection during normal activities of daily living, suggestions on how to adapt the surrounding environment, and self-learning exercises to perform at home. Sociodemographic characteristics and degree of knowledge of the disease, measured by the Health Service Interview (HSI), were recorded at baseline. The outcome measures included the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale 2 (AIMS2), and the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), which were administered at the beginning and end of the trial. Thirty-six patients from the EG (7 men and 29 women; mean age 54.2 years) and 34 from the CG (6 men and 28 women; mean age 52.2 years) completed the trial. No statistical differences in baseline evaluations were found between the two groups. According to the answers given on the HSI, the majority of our patients had poor knowledge of RA and its consequences. After a mean time of 8 months, the patients receiving educational training displayed a significant decrease, compared to the CG, in the VAS (p = 0.001), HAQ (p = 0.000), and physical (p =0.000), symptoms (p = 0.049), and social interaction (p = 0.045) scores on the AIMS2, but not in other items. Our study showed that 8 months after attending an educational-behavioral joint protection program, subjects with moderate-severe RA presented less pain and disability and thus an enhanced health status. This approach may efficiently complement drug therapy in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy. stef.masiero@unipd.it.|Servizio di Riabilitazione, Università-Azienda Ospedaliera of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128, Padova, Italy. stef.masiero@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Masiero
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boniolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wassermann
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Hela
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Machiedo
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Volante
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Punzi
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D000069285:Infliximab; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab