Exercise as an adjuvant treatment in persistent active polymyositis.

Objectives: A growing number of studies have suggested that exercise may promote therapeutic effects in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathy. This prospective case series study aimed to report on the effects of exercise in patients with persistent active myositis.

Methods: Three patients with persistent active polymyositis were submitted to a 12-week supervised exercise program comprising both aerobic and strength exercises.

Results: After the intervention, the patients presented improvements in selected parameters of muscle function and aerobic conditioning. In addition, an overall improvement was detected in the quality of life, as measured by both the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey and the Health Assessment Questionnaire questionnaires. Importantly, exercise did not increase serum levels of creatine kinase and aldolase.

Conclusions: The findings herein suggest that a combined aerobic and strength training program may be tolerable and potentially effective in improving muscle function, aerobic conditioning, and quality of life in patients with persistent active polymyositis.