OP0385-HPR An individualised, supervised, combined exercise programme including aerobic and resistance training improves pain and fatigue in people with systemic sclerosis. A multi-centre research clinical trial

Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, vol. 84, pp. 311–312

Abstract

Background: Pain and fatigue constitute two of the most debilitating symptoms in systemic sclerosis (SSc), both significantly affecting patients' quality of life (QoL). Pharmacotherapy is not sufficiently effective in the management of SSc-induced pain and fatigue. Previous evidence of a combined exercise including aerobic and resistance training has demonstrated promising results on the effects of exercise on digital microvasculature and pain in people with SSc (PwSSc) [1]Formatting.... A large multi-centre research clinical trial to establish the effects of a combined exercise on pain and fatigue is warranted. Objectives: To assess the effects of an individualised supervised combined exercise programme on pain and fatigue in PwSSc. Methods: This European multicentre (n=6) randomised controlled clinical trial recruited 170 PwSSc which were randomly allocated into the exercise (EG) and control groups (CG). EG performed a 12-week (twice/week) supervised combined (aerobic and resistance training) upper body exercise programme parallel to usual care and CG received usual care alone. The aerobic protocol consisted of 30mins high intensity interval training (30s at 100% of peak power output and 30s passive recovery). The resistance training consisted of 3 circuits of five upper body exercises performing each exercise for 10 repetitions maximum. Baseline, 3- and 6-month follow-up assessments included pain and fatigue (primary outcomes), depression, and QoL assessed via validated questionnaires, body composition analysis using bioelectrical impedance analysis, cardiorespiratory fitness (i.e., peak oxygen uptake test), and upper body strength (i.e., handgrip strength test using a handgrip dynamometer) and endurance (i.e., biceps curltest). Results: Both overall fatigue and pain were significantly better (P<0.05) at 3 months for the EG compared to the CG; similarly, depression scores, QoL, body fat percentage and physical fitness at 3 months were significantly better (P<0.05) compared to the CG. EG maintained improvements in components of pain, fatigue, QoL and depression at 6 months. Conclusion: Our 12-week upper body supervised combined exercise programme, twice per week, improves pain and fatigue including depression, SSc-related QoL, and physical fitness in PwSSc. A significant percentage of these improvements was maintained at 3 months post-intervention (i.e., 6-month follow up). REFERENCES: [1] Mitropoulos A, Gumber A, Akil M, Klonizakis M. Exploring the microcirculatory effects of an exercise programme including aerobic and resistance training in people with limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis. Microvasc Res . 2019;125:103887. DOI: 10.1016/j.mvr.2019.103887. Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank the study patients that volunteered in the study. Disclosure of Interests: None declared . © The Authors 2025. This abstract is an open access article published in Annals of Rheumatic Diseases under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Neither EULAR nor the publisher make any representation as to the accuracy of the content. The authors are solely responsible for the content in their abstract including accuracy of the facts, statements, results, conclusion, citing resources etc.

Authors 14

1. Carina Boström

   Karolinska Institutet

   Affiliation as printed

   Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

2. Malin Mattsson

   Sunderby sjukhus

   Affiliation as printed

   Sunderby Hospital, Luleå, Sweden

3. Evangelia Joseph Kouidi

   Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

   Affiliation as printed

   Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

4. Theodoros Dimitroulas

   Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

   Affiliation as printed

   Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

5. T. P. M. Vliet Vlieland Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands

6. Jeska Kirsten De Vries-Bouwstra Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands

7. E. Hoekstra Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands

8. Søren Jacobsen

   University of Copenhagen · Rigshospitalet

   Affiliation as printed

   Copenhagen University, Rigshospitalet Copenhagen, Denmark

9. K. Y. Jensen

   University of Copenhagen · Rigshospitalet

   Affiliation as printed

   Copenhagen University, Rigshospitalet Copenhagen, Denmark

10. Louise Pyndt Diederichsen

    University of Copenhagen · Rigshospitalet

    Affiliation as printed

    Copenhagen University, Rigshospitalet Copenhagen, Denmark

11. Giovanna Cuomo

    University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli"

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy

12. Tiziana Nava

    University of Milan

    Affiliation as printed

    Milan University, Milan, Italy

13. Henrik Pettersson

    Karolinska Institutet

    Affiliation as printed

    Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

14. Markos Klonizakis

    Sheffield Hallam University

    Affiliation as printed

    Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, United Kingdom