A special task force established by the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) has developed 4 overall principles and 10 specific recommendations to ensure that physical activity is a part of the standard of care among patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), spondyloarthritis, and osteoarthritis in Europe.
A special task force established by the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) has developed 4 overall principles and 10 specific recommendations to ensure that physical activity (PA) is a part of the standard of care among patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), spondyloarthritis (SpA), and osteoarthritis (OA) in Europe.
Although the World Health Organization and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) have developed general guidance for PA among healthy adults, uptake among individuals with rheumatic diseases is less, likely due to a fear of joint damage or flare-ups among both patients and their care providers. While existing EULAR guidelines1 and those by ACSM recommend exercise or PA, they lack in specifics on the type and dose of exercise.
The EULAR task force—composed of 22 European PA experts, 1 orthopedic surgeon, 9 physiotherapists, 1 psychologist, 1 occupational therapy nurse, and 1 human movement specialist—was therefore commissioned to:2
Read about how low-dose rituximab can help control RA symptoms.
ACSM’s position stand was followed and the group kicked off the process by agreeing on the definitions of exercise and PA. The group conducted 2 systematic literature searches and meta-analyzed studies that measured efficacy of PA interventions. Results from here were used to develop the overarching principles as well as the specific recommendations during a face-to-face meeting, followed by independent and anonymous voting by the task force members to establish the level of agreement on these recommendations. The objective was to understand the barriers and facilitators of PA intervention in the said patient population.
The 4 overarching principles state that:
Specific recommendations by the task force include:
The guidelines have been developed for care providers, patient advocacy groups, and policy makers.
References
Empowering Community Health Through Wellness and Faith
April 23rd 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. In the third episode, Camille Clarke-Smith, EdD, MS, CHES, CPT, discusses approaching community health holistically through spiritual and community engagement.
Listen
What We’re Reading: Abortion Privacy Rules; Alzheimer Drug Hurdles; Nursing Home Staffing Overhaul
April 23rd 2024New health privacy rules aim to protect patients and providers in an evolving abortion landscape; some physicians express concerns about efficacy, risks, and entrenched beliefs in treating Alzheimer disease; CMS addresses longstanding staffing deficits in nursing homes.
Read More
Overcoming Employment Barriers for Lasting Social Impact: Freedom House 2.0 and Pathways to Work
April 16th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our second episode, in which we learn all about Freedom House 2.0 and the Pathways to Work program.
Listen
Survey Results Reveal Potential Factors Slowing the Decline in Cardiovascular Mortality Rate
April 23rd 2024Research indicated that worsened glycemic, blood pressure, and obesity control, as well as increased alcohol consumption, leveled lipid control, and persistent socioeconomic disparities may have contributed to the decelerated cardiovascular mortality decline in recent years.
Read More
Award-Winning Poster Presentations From AMCP 2024
April 23rd 2024At the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) 2024 annual meeting, multiple poster presentations concerned with health equity, data collection, glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists, and more were acknowledged for their originality, relevance, clarity, bias, and quality.
Read More