A randomized controlled trial to reduce sedentary time in rheumatoid arthritis: protocol and rationale of the Take a STAND for Health study.

Ana Jessica Pinto; Tiago Peçanha; Kamila Meireles; Fabiana Braga Benatti; Karina Bonfiglioli; Ana Lúcia de Sá Pinto; Fernanda Rodrigues Lima; Rosa Maria Rodrigues Pereira; Maria Claudia Costa Irigoyen; James Edward Turner; John P Kirwan; Neville Owen; David W Dunstan; Hamilton Roschel; Bruno Gualano
Abstract
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis spend most of their daily hours in sedentary behavior (sitting), a predisposing factor to poor health-related outcomes and all-cause mortality. Interventions focused on reducing sedentary time could be of novel therapeutic relevance. However, studies addressing this topic remain scarce. We aim to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of a newly developed intervention focused on reducing sedentary time, and potential clinical, physiological, metabolic and molecular effects in rheumatoid arthritis.The Take a STAND for Health study is a 4-month, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial, in which postmenopausal patients with rheumatoid arthritis will set individually tailored, progressive goals to replace their sedentary time with standing and light-intensity activities. Patients will be recruited from the Clinical Hospital (School of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo) and will be assessed at baseline and after a 4-month follow up. Outcomes will include objectively measured sedentary behavior (primary outcome) and physical activity levels, clinical parameters, anthropometric parameters and body composition; aerobic fitness, muscle function, blood pressure, cardiovascular autonomic function, vascular function and structure, health-related quality of life, and food intake. Blood and muscle samples will be collected for assessing potential mechanisms, through targeted and non-targeted approaches.Findings will be of scientific and clinical relevance with the potential to inform new prescriptions focused on reducing sedentary behavior, a modifiable risk factor that thus far has been overlooked in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03186924. Registered on 14 June 2017.
Journal TRIALS
ISSN 1745-6215
Published 12 Feb 2020
Volume 21
Issue 1
Pages 171
DOI 10.1186/s13063-020-4104-y
Type Journal Article
Sponsorship NHMRC: 1118225