Evidence mapPaperPMID 40271213Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in physiology2025

The effect of exercise therapy on pain, fatigue, bone function and inflammatory biomarkers individuals with rheumatoid arthritis and knee osteoarthritis: a meta-research review of randomized controlled trials.

Xiaoting Fu, Liang Zhang, Cuijuan Wang, Jun Yue, Hang Zhu

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in physiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Xiaoting FuOrthopedics Department, Hangzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou City, China.
Liang ZhangOrthopedics Department, Hangzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou City, China.
Cuijuan WangOrthopedics Department, Hangzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou City, China.
Jun YueOrthopedics Department, Hangzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou City, China.
Hang ZhuOrthopedics Department, Hangzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou City, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Accumulating evidence suggested the potential role of exercise in alleviating rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, whether exercise improves physical function (walk test, grip strength, muscle strength, joint assessments) and inflammatory biomarkers in patients with RA is unclear. This umbrella meta-analysis aimed to examine the effect of exercise in patients with RA. Method: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Central Library databases were systematically searched for meta-analyses of randomized control trials (RCTs) to retrieve relevant studies. The effect sizes were pooled using a random-effects model, with standardized or weighted mean differences (SMDs or WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) as summary statistics. Results: Seventeen studies were included. The improving effects of exercise on fatigue levels (SMD = -0.28, 95% CI: -0.44, -0.13), pain intensity (ES = -0.50, 95% CI: -0.87, -0.14), disease activity score in joints (DAS) (WMD = -0.54, 95% CI: -0.99, -0.09; and SMD = -0.47, 95% CI: -0.64, -0.30), and ESR (ES = -0.85, 95% CI: -1.66, -0.03) were significant. No significant impact on the hand grip, muscle strength, walk test, joints and inflammatory biomarkers was observed. Conclusion: Exercise significantly reduces fatigue, pain, DAS, and ESR in RA but shows no impact on grip strength, muscle strength, walk test, joints, or other inflammatory biomarkers. This highlights its role in symptom management rather than broad physiological changes.

Indexed as

analysisexerciseinflamma-tionmetaphysical activitywalk

Identifiers

PMID40271213
PMCPMC12014597

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.