title: Exercise as an adjuvant treatment in persistent active polymyositis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A growing number of studies have suggested that exercise may promote therapeutic effects in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathy. This prospective case series study aimed to report on the effects of exercise in patients with persistent active myositis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three patients with persistent active polymyositis were submitted to a 12-week supervised exercise program comprising both aerobic and strength exercises.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the intervention, the patients presented improvements in selected parameters of muscle function and aerobic conditioning. In addition, an overall improvement was detected in the quality of life, as measured by both the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey and the Health Assessment Questionnaire questionnaires. Importantly, exercise did not increase serum levels of creatine kinase and aldolase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings herein suggest that a combined aerobic and strength training program may be tolerable and potentially effective in improving muscle function, aerobic conditioning, and quality of life in patients with persistent active polymyositis.
authors.affiliation: From the *School of Medicine, Rheumatology Division; and †School of Physical Education and Sport, Brazil.
authors.forename: Melina Andrade
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mattar
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gualano
authors.forename: Hamilton
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Roschel
authors.forename: Luiz Augusto
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Perandini
authors.forename: Thalita
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dassouki
authors.forename: Fernanda Rodrigues
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Samuel Katsuyuki
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Shinjo
authors.forename: Ana Lúcia
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: de Sá Pinto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005634:Fructose-Bisphosphate Aldolase / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D017285:Polymyositis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D055070:Resistance Training / Q000379:methods; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D003402:Creatine Kinase; D005634:Fructose-Bisphosphate Aldolase