Abstract P131: Associations Between Joint Symptoms and Prospective Changes in Physical Activity in First-degree Relatives of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Patients

Background: CVD is accelerated in RA, and risk of CVD death is 50% higher in RA patients. Physical activity (PA) mitigates increased CVD risk, but RA patients typically have less PA. It is not known whether PA declines prior to RA onset, or whether joint symptoms (sxs) contribute to PA decline. We sought to determine whether RA-related joint sxs were associated with PA over time in first-degree relatives (FDRs) of RA patients, a population at increased risk for future RA. Methods: In the Studies of the Etiology of RA (SERA), we evaluated associations between presence of joint sxs and hours of PA in 878 FDRs; of whom, 376 had ≥2 visits. A physician confirmed joint swelling; participants self-reported stiffness and pain in the wrist, elbow, or any MCP, PIP, or MTP joints. Hours sleeping, sitting, and performing slight, moderate, or heavy activity during a typical 24-hour day were obtained through questionnaire, weighted to reflect metabolic expenditure, and calculated as follows: PA = (1.0*h sleep + 1.1*h sedentary + 1.5*h slight + 2.4*h moderate + 5.0*h heavy ). Linear mixed models were used to evaluate associations between joint sxs and change in PA over time, adjusting for age, sex, race, BMI, smoking, and positivity for RA-related autoantibodies Results: Mean baseline age was 50±16 years. 74% were female, 78% were White, 7% had joint swelling, 15% had joint stiffness, and 24% had joint pain. Average PA was 37±7. At baseline, PA was higher in FDRs with joint stiffness (B=1.27±0.64, p=0.05) and joint pain (B=1.43±0.54, p=0.01), and lower in FDRs with joint swelling (B=-1.50±0.91, p=0.10). Adjusting for baseline PA, baseline joint swelling, stiffness, and pain were not significantly associated with changes in PA. However, change in joint swelling was associated with increased PA; and changes in joint stiffness and pain were associated with decreased PA. (Table) Conclusion: Joint sxs may not predict future PA, but PA may be lower at the time joint sxs occur. Clinicians should address joint sxs as part of their PA intervention in CVD prevention.