title: Team-based rehabilitation improves long-term aerobic capacity and health-related quality of life in patients with chronic inflammatory arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effect of an interdisciplinary, out-patient rehabilitation programme for patients with chronic inflammatory arthritis on aerobic capacity and health-related quality of life (HRQOL).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and seventy-four patients, 115 with peripheral arthritis (PA) (91 women, mean age 53 years, disease duration 16 years) and 59 with spondylarthropathies (SpA), (27 women, mean age 46 years, disease duration 14 years) were consecutively enrolled in 18 days of interdisciplinary rehabilitation. We report data from evaluations at inclusion, at discharge, and at 4 and 12 months using a sub-maximal treadmill test of aerobic capacity and the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) (t-test).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At inclusion, less than 20% of all patients tested had aerobic capacity classified as 'average' or better. At discharge, 41% (PA) and 54% (SpA) reached the 'average' level or better with improvements maintained for 12 months. The total NHP scores improved in both groups (mean change -12 (99%CI -15, -9) for PA; mean change -13 (99%CI -19, -8) for SpA) and were maintained.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aerobic capacity and HRQOL improved significantly in this interdisciplinary out-patient rehabilitation study, and improvements were maintained for 12 months. The preserved level of aerobic capacity after 12 months indicated a change to a more physically active lifestyle among the participants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Lund University and Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden. sofia.hagel@med.lu.se
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hagel
authors.forename: Elisabet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lindqvist
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bremander
authors.forename: Ingemar F
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Petersson
mesh_terms: D001168:Arthritis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011788:Quality of Life; D013166:Spondylitis / Q000534:rehabilitation; D013548:Sweden