Background Inflammatory arthropathies are a group of diseases that have common characteristics, like unknown etiology, autoimmune or autoinflammatory pathogenesis, genetic predisposition and chronicity. These affect people of all ages and can cause physical, psychic, and social disability. Physical activity is essential to decrease symptoms of pain, fatigue and weakness, improving joint mobility, increasing muscle mass, flexibility and psychosocial health.

Objectives To describe the physical activity in patients with inflammatory arthropathies.

Methods In this transversal, observational study we evaluated all patients with inflammatory arthropathies treated with intravenous biologic therapy in a Day Hospital Unit (DHU) of a tertiary hospital. We collected the following data: demographics, indexes of disease activity according to each disease, fatigue questionnaire (FACIT), health questionnaire SF-12, physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ), and fibromyalgia questionnaire (FIRST). This represents a cohort of patients that initiate an educational program on the importance of physical activity in the management of the disease.

Results We included 222 patients (60.8% female), with a median age (SD; range) of 56.19 (12.89; 25–82) and a median disease duration (SD) of 16.54 (9.6). Of all included patients, 54.1% had rheumatoid arthritis, 39.2% had spondyloarthropathy and 6.8% has psoriatic arthritis; 26.8% were in remission, 39.2% presented moderate activity disease and 13.5% had high disease activity. Forty five (20.3%) patients had fibromyalgia according to FIRST questionnaire. According to the IPAQ questionnaire, 19.8% performed high physical activity, 24.8% moderate physical activity and 55.4% low physical activity. The FACIT score was significantly greater in patients with low physical activity (p<0.05). 73% of patients considered that their diseases affect the performance of physical activity. 67% of the patients had none or very low daily physical activity, 80% would like to do more exercise. Among sports or physical activities performed by the patients, the most common was walking (65%), then swimming (12%), cycling and gym (8%) and running (6%). Of the patients who perform physical activity, 43% practice more than one sport.

In a multivariate regression logistic, only the gender and the age related with the physical activity, and not the disease; males (p=0.024; Exp(B) 2,389; IC 95% 1,124- 5,059) and younger persons (p=0,004; Exp (B) 0,959; IC 95%: 0,943–0,987) performed more physical activity.

Conclusions Patients with inflammatory joint diseases perform low physical activity. The nurse plays a very important role in educating and informing the patients about their illness, and helping them in changing their lifestyle, encouraging increased physical activity with appropriate programs depending on the alterations that produce each disease, in order to improve their quality of life.

Disclosure of Interest None declared