vendex and Sarcoidosis

Quality of life (QOL) is often reduced in patients with sarcoidosis. Studies of the associations between physical functions and QOL are lacking.. So the aims of this study were (i) to evaluate the associations between QOL and physical functions, including muscle strength and exercise capacity, and other clinical characteristics, and (ii) to evaluate whether these associations change over a two-year period.. Eighty-eight sarcoidosis patients (61 men; mean age: 46.1 ± 10.2 years) participated in a two-year follow-up to cross-sectional study. All patients completed the short World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment instrument (WHOQOL-BREF) and Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) at the baseline and follow-up assessments. Patients also performed a six-minute walk test (6MWT) and elbow flexor muscle strength, quadriceps and hamstrings peak torque tests. Maximal inspiratory pressure was recorded.. QOL in sarcoidosis remained stable over a two-year course of the disease, and was reduced compared with healthy controls, particularly regarding the physical health domain. Fatigue and the six-minute walking distance showed strong associations with QOL at both baseline and follow-up. Fatigue and exercise capacity predicted the scores for the WHOQOL-BREF physical health domain at baseline (59%) and follow-up (64%). QOL at baseline was the best predictor of QOL at follow-up.. QOL is reduced in sarcoidosis. Fatigue and exercise capacity showed important stable associations with QOL, especially in the physical health domain. FAS and 6MWT should therefore be included in the management of sarcoidosis.

Topics: Adult; Case-Control Studies; Cross-Sectional Studies; Disease Progression; Exercise Test; Exercise Tolerance; Fatigue; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Health Status; Humans; Lung; Male; Middle Aged; Muscle Strength; Muscle, Skeletal; Predictive Value of Tests; Prognosis; Quality of Life; Respiratory Function Tests; Sarcoidosis; Surveys and Questionnaires; Time Factors; Torque

The purpose of this study was to examine changes in the prevalence of exercise intolerance, reduced muscle strength, and fatigue and the changes in these parameters in individual patients during a 2-year follow-up study.. Ninety sarcoidosis patients (62 males and 28 females; mean age: 46.0 ± 10.2 years) participated in a 2-year follow-up study. At the baseline and follow-up measurements, patients performed a 6-min walk test and elbow flexor muscle strength, quadriceps peak torque, and hamstrings peak torque tests. Maximal inspiratory pressure was recorded. All patients completed the Fatigue Assessment Scale.. Both at baseline and follow-up, a substantial proportion of the patients showed a reduced 6-minute walk test (41.6 and 34.8 %, respectively), elbow flexor muscle strength (6.7 and 14.6 %), quadriceps peak torque (21.3 and 18 %), hamstrings peak torque (13.5 and 12.4 %), and maximal inspiratory pressure (45.9 and 48.6 %). The majority of the patients reported fatigue (86 and 77 %). These physical impairments remained stable during the follow-up period. The prevalence of these physical impairments in patients diagnosed with sarcoidosis <2 years before inclusion in this study was similar to that in patients with a longer history of the disease.. Exercise intolerance, muscle weakness, and fatigue are frequent problems in symptomatic sarcoidosis patients with a stable and persistent character. This study highlights that beyond medical treatment a rehabilitation program should be considered as adjunct therapy in the multidisciplinary management of sarcoidosis patients even though the achieved benefit needs future studies.

Topics: Adult; Biomechanical Phenomena; Chi-Square Distribution; Exercise Test; Exercise Tolerance; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Inhalation; Male; Middle Aged; Muscle Fatigue; Muscle Strength; Muscle, Skeletal; Quadriceps Muscle; Respiratory Muscles; Sarcoidosis; Time Factors; Torque