AB0693 LOW MUSCLE STRENGTH IS ASSOCIATED WITH GRIPING DYSFUNCTION AS WELL AS WALKING DYSFUNCTION OF HAQ IN RA PATIENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
Authors: P. W. Jia, J. Z. Lin, J. Pan, Y. W. Zou, Z. M. Ouyang, K. M. Yang, J. D. MA, L. Dai
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2024)

<h3>Background:</h3> Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are frequently physically inactive which is mostly illustrated by HAQ. RA patients are also characterized by risk factors for sarcopenia. Muscle function was evaluated by hand grip and 6-meter gait speed in patients with sarcopenia. However, the associations between HAQ and muscle function were unknown. <h3>Objectives:</h3> To investigate the characteristics of muscle function and their associations with physical function assessed by HAQ in RA patients. <h3>Methods:</h3> This cross-sectional study collected clinical data from a Chinese RA cohort, including disease activity, HAQ, radiographic assessment, previous medication and comorbidities. Muscle mass was assessed by bioelectric impedance analysis. Myopenia was defined as appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI) &lt;7.0 kg/m<sup>2</sup> in men and &lt;5.7 kg/m<sup>2</sup> in women. Low muscle function was defined as low muscle strength (hand grip &lt;28 kg in men and &lt;18 kg in women) or low physical performance (6-meters gait speed &lt;1.0 m/s). Physical function was assessed by HAQ disability index (HAQ-DI) and physical dysfunction was indicated as HAQ-DI &gt; 0. <h3>Results:</h3> ①Among 1133 RA patients recruited in the cohort, 928 RA patients were eligible for analysis. Their mean age was 53.2 years old and 83.1% were female. There were 66.8% patients with active RA (CDAI&gt;2.8). ②The prevalence of low muscle strength only (28.2% vs. 35.0%) and low muscle function (50.1% vs. 85.9%) in RA patients with physical dysfunction were higher than those without (Figure 1A). ③Further in age stratification, the prevalence of low muscle strength and low muscle function showed an initial decrease up to the age of around 50 years old, followed by an increase as advancing age, while the prevalence of low physical performance and physical dysfunction increased with age (all <i>P</i><sub><i>trend</i></sub>&lt;0.05, Figure 1B). ④Upper limb muscle mass and lower limb muscle mass were positively correlated with hand grip (r=0.453, P &lt;0.001) and 6-meter gait speed (r=0.194, P &lt;0.001), respectively. ⑤RA patients with low muscle strength only characterized with high rate of dysfunction in grip (32.5%), as well as walking (30.8%) of HAQ subdimensions. While those with low physical performance had highest rate of walking dysfunction (38.1%), followed by usual activites (29.5%, Table 1). <h3>Conclusion:</h3> Our study addressed that low muscle strength occur in young age of patients with RA. RA patients with low muscle strength characterized with dysfunction in griping but also in walking of HAQ subdimensions. <h3>REFERENCES:</h3> <b>NIL.</b> <h3>Acknowledgements:</h3> <b>Funding:</b> This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no. 82101892), Guangzhou Municipal Science and Technology Project and Yat-sen Excellent Yong Scientists Fund (grant no. 2023A03J0709). <h3>Disclosure of Interests:</h3> <b>None declared.</b>