Investigation of lower extremity performance, balance, and fatigue in individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus: A comparative study.

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to investigate lower extremity performance, balance, fatigue and pain in individuals with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and compare them with healthy controls.

METHODS

41 participants (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus n = 21 and mean age = 38.33 ± 13.37; healthy group n = 20 and mean age = 38.95 ± 12.62 years) were included in the study. Lower extremity performance was evaluated with timed up and go test and 30 s sit-to-stand test, static and dynamic balance with Sensamove Miniboard, fatigue levels with Visual Analog Scale and Fatigue Severity Scale and pain intensity with Visual Analog Scale.

FINDINGS: Significant differences were found in favor of the healthy group in the sit-to-stand test (p = 0.001), timed up and go test (p = 0.001), static balance-center (p = 0.020), front (p = 0.001), back (p = 0.002), left (p = 0.001), right (p = 0.001); proprioception-left (p = 0.004), reaction time-front (p = 0.002) and left (p = 0.016); travel time-front (p = 0.001), back (p = 0.001), left (p = 0.001) and right (p = 0.001), Fatigue Severity Scale (p = 0.001); Visual Analog Scale-fatigue (p = 0.001) and Visual Analog Scale-pain (p = 0.001). In Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, timed up and go test had low correlation with travel time-back (r = -0.449; p = 0.041). Visual Analog Scale-fatigue had low correlation with proprioception-left (r = 0.484; p = 0.026) and proprioception-right (r = 0.461; p = 0.035). Visual Analog Scale-pain had moderate correlation with proprioception-back (r = 0.521; p = 0.015) and low correlation with proprioception-right (r = 0.441; p = 0.045).

INTERPRETATION: Compared to healthy, individuals with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus had worse lower extremity performance, static/dynamic balance, fatigue, and pain. Dynamic balance-back was related to lower extremity performance. Fatigue was related to left-right proprioception, and pain was related to back-right proprioception.