Investigation of lower extremity performance, balance, and fatigue in individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus: A comparative study

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate lower extremity performance, balance, fatigue and pain in individuals with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and compare them with healthy controls. Methods: 41 participants (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus n = 21 and mean age = 38.33 +/- 13.37; healthy group n = 20 and mean age = 38.95 +/- 12.62 years) were included in the study. Lower extremity performance was evaluated with timed up and go test and 30 s sit-to-stand test, static and dynamic balance with Sensamove Miniboard, fatigue levels with Visual Analog Scale and Fatigue Severity Scale and pain intensity with Visual Analog Scale. Findings: Significant differences were found in favor of the healthy group in the sit-to-stand test (p = 0.001), timed up and go test (p = 0.001), static balance-center (p = 0.020), front (p = 0.001), back (p = 0.002), left (p = 0.001), right (p = 0.001); proprioception-left (p = 0.004), reaction time-front (p = 0.002) and left (p = 0.016); travel time-front (p = 0.001), back (p = 0.001), left (p = 0.001) and right (p = 0.001), Fatigue Severity Scale (p = 0.001); Visual Analog Scale-fatigue (p = 0.001) and Visual Analog Scale-pain (p = 0.001). In Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, timed up and go test had low correlation with travel time-back (r =-0.449; p = 0.041). Visual Analog Scale-fatigue had low correlation with proprioception-left (r = 0.484; p = 0.026) and proprioceptionright (r = 0.461; p = 0.035). Visual Analog Scale-pain had moderate correlation with proprioception-back (r = 0.521; p = 0.015) and low correlation with proprioception-right (r = 0.441; p = 0.045). Interpretation: Compared to healthy, individuals with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus had worse lower extremity performance, static/dynamic balance, fatigue, and pain. Dynamic balance-back was related to lower extremity performance. Fatigue was related to left-right proprioception, and pain was related to back-right proprioception.