Evaluating associations of joint swelling, joint stiffness and joint pain with physical activity in first-degree relatives of patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Studies of the Aetiology of Rheumatoid Arthritis (SERA), a prospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Physical activity (PA) in preclinical rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with lower RA risk and disease severity. As joint signs and symptoms of inflammatory arthritis serve as a barrier to PA in RA, it is important to consider whether they affect PA in the time prior to RA. Therefore, we investigated whether joint swelling, stiffness or pain were associated with PA in first-degree relatives (FDRs) of patients with RA, a population at higher risk for future RA.

Design

Prospective study design.

Setting

We recruited FDRs of patients with RA from academic centres, Veterans' hospitals and rheumatology clinics or through responses to advertising from six sites across the USA.

Participants

We evaluated associations of joint stiffness, joint swelling an

SUBMITTER: Hughes-Austin JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8442039 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature