title: A four-week team-rehabilitation programme in a warm climate decreases disability and improves health and body function for up to one year: A prospective study in Swedish patients with inflammatory joint diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the era of biologics, we evaluated the short- and long-term effects of team-rehabilitation in a warm climate in patients with arthritis and an inadequate response to physio-therapy in Sweden.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 161 patients with peripheral arthritis and spondyloarthritis, 63% treated with biologics, followed team-rehabilitation for a period of 4 weeks. The outcomes assessed pre- and post-rehabilitation and after 3 and 12 months covered the Heath Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), EuroQoL 5-Dimensions (EQ-5D), general health (VAS-GH), pain (VAS-pain) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HAQ, VAS-GH and VAS-pain improved significantly from pre-rehabilitation to all follow-up time-points, and BASFI and EQ-5D up to 3 months. In patients treated with biologics, the results were similar. At 3 and 12 months the proportions of patients reporting improvement above the minimal clinically important difference were HAQ 62% and 35%, BASFI 73% and 61%, EQ-5D 47% and 39%, VAS-GH 68% and 52%, and VAS-pain 68% and 51%, respectively. Physical activity increased significantly from pre-rehabilitation to 12 months and this increase correlated with an improvement in EQ-5D (r = 0.20, p = 0.040).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Team-rehabilitation in a warm climate resulted in clinically meaningful improvements in body function, activities and well-being, and promoted physical activity for up to one year.
authors: Unit of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, HuddingeKarolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: Sofia
authors: S
authors: Ajeganova
authors: Margareta
authors: M
authors: Wörnert
authors: Ingiäld
authors: I
authors: Hafström
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001168:Arthritis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002980:Climate; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D010348:Patient Care Team; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D016896:Treatment Outcome