The impact of an online, lifestyle intervention programme on the lives of patients with a rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the short- and long-term effects of an online, interactive, multifactorial lifestyle intervention programme (Leef! Met Reuma) on health risk and all ICHOM-recommended patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in patients with an inflammatory arthritis (IA), osteoarthritis (OA) or fibromyalgia (FM).

METHODS

Patients with an IA, OA or FM could register for the lifestyle intervention programme. The programme consists of a 3-month intensive part followed by a 21-month aftercare period and focuses on four pillars, namely nutrition, exercise, relaxation and sleep. Health risk and PROMs are collected 3-monthly during the first 6 months and 6-monthly during the next 18 months. Health risk includes self-reported weight, waist circumference and BMI. Following PROMs were included: pain, morning stiffness severity, fatigue, Health Assessment Questionnaire, quality of life, perceived stress, sleep disturbance and impact on life. Descriptive statistics were used to assess the change in health risk and PROMs during the intensive part of the programme and aftercare period.

RESULTS

Of the 264 patients studied, 88, 105 and 71 were diagnosed with IA, OA and FM, respectively. Health risk significantly improved in all three diagnosis groups during the intensive part of the programme. The mean BMI reduction was -1.36 (0.26), -1.22 (0.23) and -1.48 (0.33), whereafter it stabilized in the aftercare period. All PROMs showed a similar trend.

CONCLUSION

An online, interactive lifestyle intervention programme has a positive long-term effect, even after 2 years of follow-up, on health risk and all PRO domains in patients with an IA, OA and FM.