View article

Low cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is a significant predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and interventions aiming at increasing CRF are known to reduce CVD risk. The effects of such interventions on CVD risk have not been studied in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

40 age, gender, body mass index (BMI) and disease duration matched RA patients were allocated to either an exercise (receiving 6 months individualised aerobic and resistance high intensity exercise intervention, three times per week), or control (receiving advice on exercise benefits and lifestyle changes) arm. Participants were assessed at baseline, 3 and 6 months for aerobic capacity (VO₂max), individual CVD risk factors (blood pressure, lipids, insulin resistance, body composition), 10-year CVD event probability and RA characteristics (C-reactive protein (CRP), Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28 …