Effects Of Aerobic Exercise Training On Fatigability In Women With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: 1331

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a debilitating autoimmune disease prevalent in women that often results in reduced exercise capacity and high levels of fatigue. Aerobic exercise training has been shown to decrease fatigue levels among patients with SLE, however, fatigability (a phenotype of fatigue) has not been investigated systematically in this population. In relation to a specific activity, performance fatigability is defined as the decline in performance while perceived fatigability is the change in the feeling of exhaustion. PURPOSE: To determine whether a vigorous 12-week aerobic exercise training program improves performance and perceived fatigability in females with mild SLE. METHODS: Sixteen women (ages 44 ± 9 years) with SLE participated in the NIH Aerobic Exercise in Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Study. Participants performed 30 minutes of vigorous (70-80% HRR) treadmill walking 3 times a week for 12 weeks. Before and after the training program, participants performed a 10-minute walk test (10MWT). The Schnelle Fatigue and Fatigability Scale was administered before and after the 10MWT. Perceived fatigability was measured from the post-10MWT fatigability score, while performance fatigability was the change in speed during the 10MWT. Both were normalized to the total 10MWT distance and multiplied by 1000. Paired t-tests and Pearson’s correlations were performed for comparisons and relationships. RESULTS: Participants attended 92 ± 7% of the training sessions. Distance for 10MWT increased following exercise training (Pre: 925 ± 131 m; Post: 1009 ± 121 m, p = 0.0001). An improvement in performance fatigability was observed (Pre: 1.11 ± 0.17; Post: 0.99 ± 0.12, p = 0.0001), but not for perceived fatigability (Pre: 4.9 ± 1.9; Post: 4.4 ± 2.1, p = 0.28). A correlation was observed between baseline and change in performance fatigability following exercise training (r = -0.75, p = 0.001), as females with higher performance fatigability at baseline showed greater improvement after exercise training. CONCLUSIONS: Following vigorous aerobic exercise training, performance and performance fatigability were significantly improved in these women with mild SLE. However, changes in perceived fatigability were not observed.