The Impact of Exercise, Lifestyle, and Clinical Factors on Perceived Cognitive Function in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results from a Prospective Cohort Study.

Objective: Lifestyle factors, such as inactivity and obesity, contribute to cognitive decline in the general population, but little is known about how these factors may affect individuals with a chronic inflammatory condition such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We studied the clinical and functional risk factors related to a worsening of perceived cognitive function in patients with RA.

Methods: We collected clinical and functional questionnaire data over 10 years in a prospective RA cohort including yearly self-reported memory, concentration, and word-finding difficulties graded from "never" to "often.