Unsupported Upper Limb Exercise Test in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Condition: Rheumatoid Arthritis
MeSH terms: Arthritis; Arthritis, Rheumatoid
Study type: Observational [Patient Registry]

Summary: 
      Evaluation of upper extremity functionalities, strength and endurance of individuals with
      rheumatoid arthritis is important in terms of establishing treatment program and determining
      treatment results. In the literature, Unsupported Upper Limb Exercise Test (UULEX) has been
      found to be a valid and reliable method for endurance of unsupported upper extremity in
      individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and is frequently used to evaluate
      endurance in these patients. However, there is no study on the validity and reliability of
      UULEX in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.The aim of this study was to determine whether
      the Unsupported Upper Limb Exercise Test (UULEX) is a valid and reliable method to evaluate
      the upper extremity endurance in individual with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). To study; a
      minimum of 70 individual with RA under the age of 65 who are diagnosed with RA and have no
      other disease affecting the upper extremity performance will be included in the rheumatology
      outpatient clinic.The patients with upper extremity pain that will affect the performance of
      the upper extremity will be excluded from the study.

      The tests will be done after the demographic data of the individuals are taken. Tests will be
      applied to individuals before application. After each test, individuals will rest for 5
      minutes to reduce the effect of fatigue. The tests will take approximately 30-40 minutes to
      complete. For test-retest reliability, UULEX will be reapplied after one week. For compliance
      validity of the UULEX, Disability Assessment Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire (DASH), Health
      Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), 30 sec Push up-Pull test and 6 minute pegboard and ring test
      will be applied.
    

Detailed description: 
      Unsupported Upper Limb Exercise Test (UULEX):Individual sit on the chair in a way that
      touches the wall with the lines of the UULEX. The tables of the UULEX contain 8 horizontal
      levels. Each level is 84 cm wide and 8 cm high. The distance between the level centers is 15
      cm. The line below corresponds to the knee level of the participant. The individual moves the
      plastic bar, which has a weight of 0.2 kg, from the hips by holding the arms at the shoulder
      width and moves it to the different levels of the lines of the UULEX in front of it. Each
      movement starts at the hip joint and ends at the hip joint. After making the first level for
      two minutes, the upper levels are made in two minute. The beginning and end point of each
      level is the hip joint. The bar is removed until 30 movements per minute accompanied by a
      metronome (level up). When individuals reach their maximum height, the bar weighing 0.2 kg is
      replaced with a 0.5 kg weighted bar. This weight will continue to raise to the maximum
      height. The weight is then increased by 0.5 kg per minute to 2 kg. Individual is referred to
      the test to continue until symptom limitation.

      Statistical Analyses:The data will be given as mean ± standard deviation (X ± SD). The
      Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) will be used to evaluate the reliability of the
      UULEX. For concurrent validity, the relationship of the 30 sec Push up-Pull Test, DASH, HAQ
      and the 6-peg board ring test will be evaluated with Pearson correlation analysis. In our
      study, 85% power was obtained in the design made with 5% type 1 error and at least 70
      patients. p value will be taken as 0.05.
    

Intervention name(s): Validity and reliability
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): Test-retest method and concurrent validity
Observational model: Other
Time perspective: Other
Sampling method: Probability Sample
Study population: 
        Individuals with rheumatoid arthritis
      
Keywords: Rheumatoid Arthritis; Unsupported Upper Limb Exercise Test; Validity