title: Physical fitness and physical activity in fatigued and non-fatigued inflammatory bowel disease patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess physical fitness and physical activity in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients and whether fatigue is associated with impaired physical fitness and impaired physical activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten patients with quiescent IBD and fatigue (fatigue group [FG]) based on the Checklist Individual Strength-Fatigue score of ≥35 were matched for age (±5 years) and sex with a non-fatigue group (NFG) with IBD. Physical fitness was measured with a cyclo-ergometric-based maximal exercise test, a submaximal 6-min walk test, and a dynamometer test to quantify the isokinetic muscle strength of the knee extensors and flexors. Level of physical activity was measured with an accelerometer-based activity monitor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients in both groups did not differ in regard to medication use, clinical characteristics, and body composition. However, medium-to-large effect sizes for impaired physical fitness (both cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength) and physical activity were seen between the patients in the FG and the NFG. Especially, intensity of physical activity was significantly lower in the FG patients compared with the NFG patients (effect size: 1.02; p = 0.037). Similar results were seen when outcomes of the FG and NFG were compared with reference values of the normal population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fatigued IBD patients show an impaired physical fitness and physical activity compared with non-fatigued IBD patients. This gives directions for a physical component in fatigue in IBD patients. Therefore, these new insights into fatigue indicate that these patients might benefit from an exercise program to improve physical fitness and physical activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC , Rotterdam , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lauran
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vogelaar
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van den Berg-Emons
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bussmann
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rozenberg
authors.forename: Reinier
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Timman
authors.forename: Christien J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: van der Woude
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005221:Fatigue / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D053580:Muscle Strength; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: fatigue; inflammatory bowel disease; physical activity; physical fitness