Exercise Self-Efficacy and patient global assessment were associated with 6-min walk test distance in persons with rheumatoid arthritis

Introduction

Low functional capacity is related to future loss of daily function and cardiovascular events. The present study explored the associations of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and disease-specific measures with functional capacity as measured by the 6-min walk test (6MWT) in persons with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods

Seventy-nine participants from rheumatology outpatient clinics were included. The distance walked during the 6MWT (6MWD) was the dependent variable in multivariable regression analyses. Model 1 included the independent variables sex, age (in tertiles to improve model fit), and body mass index (BMI). Building on Model 1, Model 2 added smoking, patient global assessment (PGA), Exercise Self-Efficacy, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale’s Depression score, and Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale score, whereas Model 3 added smoking, disease duration, present use of glucocorticosteroids, seropositivity, Disease Activity Score 28—C-Reactive Protein (DAS28-CRP), and a comorbidity variable.

Results

Median age was 65 years, 76% were female, and median 6MWD was 493 m. In Model 1, BMI and age were significantly associated with the 6MWD (R² = 0.42). In Model 2, PGA and Exercise Self-Efficacy were also significantly associated with the 6MWD, with standardized regression coefficients of − 0.21 (p = 0.03) and 0.26 (p = 0.004) respectively (R² = 0.54). The RA-specific variables in Model 3 were not significantly associated with the 6MWD (R² = 0.49).

Conclusion

The PROMs PGA and Exercise Self-Efficacy were significantly associated with functional capacity as measured by the 6MWT in persons with RA, whereas disease-specific measures such as DAS28-CRP and disease duration were not.

Key Points • Functional capacity measured with the 6-minute walk test was significantly associated with body mass index, age, patient global assessment, and Exercise Self-Efficacy in persons with RA. • Patient-reported outcome measures explained more of the variation in functional capacity than objective or composite measures of disease and are relevant measures in clinical follow-up. • Techniques that enhance self-efficacy for exercise should be incorporated into clinical practice to promote physical activity.