Can fitness testing promote physical activity in adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis?
Authors' conclusion
Introducing submaximal treadmill fitness testing in routine care did not change self-reported PA, but estimated VO2peak and walking distance increased significantly.
Study context
- Population
- Adolescents aged 10–18 years with non-systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), recruited during routine physiotherapy visits at a rheumatology clinic24 completed follow-up
- Participants
- 34 adolescents
- Comparison
- Follow-up vs baseline after introducing submaximal treadmill fitness testing
- Outcome
- Self-reported PA (International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short-Form (IPAQ-SF))
- Follow-up
- follow-up
Methodological detailssingle-group, consecutive recruitment
- Single-group
- Consecutive recruitment
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
IPAQ-derived PA
- IPAQ-derived physical activity (PA) did not change significantly between assessments
Further findings
| Outcome | Estimate | P value |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated VO2peak, change from baseline · follow-upFollow-up vs Baseline · SD 4.4 | difference 2.4 mL∙kg- 1∙min- 1 | P = 0.01 |
| Walking distance, change from baseline · follow-upFollow-up vs Baseline · SD 69 | difference 31 metres | P = 0.04 |
Juvenile Arthritis Multidimensional Assessment Report (JAMAR) physical function and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) · follow-up
- No significant changes
Association of vigorous PA with estimated VO2peak · baseline and follow-up
- Spearman rho up to
- 0.51
- P < 0.05
Association of moderate-to-vigorous and total PA with VO2peak · follow-up only
- Spearman rho
- ≈0.41-0.43
- Weaker
Association of vigorous PA with walking distance · follow-up
- Spearman rho
- 0.42
- P = 0.040
Original publication
Can fitness testing promote physical activity in adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis? Pediatr Rheumatol Online J. Published 21 May 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →