NCT05375422

Effects of SARAH Protocol in Women With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Effects of the Strengthening and Stretching Protocol for Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Hands (SARAH) on Hand Function in Women With Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 6 (actual)
• Sponsor: Federal University of Espirito Santo · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of the SARAH protocol, which is a set of exercises with components of muscle strengthening, range of motion gain and home exercises, combined with an educational intervention, on hand function in women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Detailed description

The volunteers will perform the SARAH protocol exercises (brazilian portuguese version) along with the usual guidelines. To participate in the research, patients must be diagnosed with RA using disease-modifying antirheumatic medication for at least 3 months, and age equal to or older to 18 years. Participants with incomplete elementary school and score \<24 on the Mini-Mental State Examination Questionnaire (MMSE) will be excluded from the study. The participants will be evaluated before and after the intervention regarding the variables: hand function (Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire), pain (Brief Pain Inventory), handgrip strength (Jamar® manual dynamometer), quality of life (Euro Quality of Life Instrument-5D), functional capacity (Health Assessment Questionnaire), RA disease activity (DAS28). The SARAH group will receive an exercise book containing 7 mobility exercises and 4 strength exercises that are performed using elastic materials that provide progressive degrees of resistance to movement. Patients will be guided in person by a trained professional, so that they are carried out without their presence, in the home environment, daily and monitored at periodically scheduled meetings. A total of 4 face-to-face meetings will be held during the 3-month follow-up. The program will last 12 weeks, with 4 face-to-face meetings lasting 40 minutes and monitored in periodically scheduled meetings.

Conditions

• Rheumatoid Arthritis

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	SARAH	Set of exercises with components of muscle strengthening, range of motion gain and home exercises.

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-02-07
• Primary completion: 2022-05-07
• Completion: 2024-02-07
• First posted: 2022-05-16
• Last updated: 2026-03-23

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Brazil