GCA patients need support to increase physical activity
Rheumatologists have highlighted the need for effective intervention to support increased physical activity in patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA), on the back of a new analysis which revealed key barriers to exercise.
In the small qualitative study, published in Arthritis Care & Research and led by Dr Keziah Austin, a rheumatologist at Bristol Royal Infirmary, analysed interview data from GCA patients in the UK (n=25) and Australia (n=11) to identify any themes related to physical activity, which were split into barriers and facilitators.
Key barriers to physical activity were categorised into: physical symptoms, including fatigue (the most common by far), vision loss, weakness, pain and stiffness; patient perceptions of personal capability, such as poor balance, stamina, confidence and mobility; negative perceptions and opinions of physical activity; and negative consequences from prior attempts at physical activity.
Facilitators were categorised into: external (such as motivation from healthcare professionals or support groups); access to appropriate facilities, to gyms, swimming pools, etc; personal strategies (including pacing, goal-setting); and personal facilitators, such as internal motivation to improve symptoms, better mental health, and positive reinforcement.
The researchers noted that while the importance of promoting physical activity to patients with GCA is highlighted in British Society for Rheumatology guidelines, “only a minority of participants in this cohort referred to advice or motivation offered by their health practitioner”.
Whilst rheumatologists “are forthcoming in recommending physical activity, the majority do not advise on, or are not aware of, minimum physical activity recommendations,” they said, and suggested that “wider education of the rheumatology multidisciplinary team in physical activity recommendations, and how to signpost patients to resources and self-management programmes may be of benefit to those with GCA”.
Further research is now needed on how to address the barriers and promote facilitators to help encourage behaviour changes to increasing physical activity in GCA, “for both patients and medical professionals”, the researchers said.
Joint implant maker sets up Australian R&D lab
A leading international maker of knee and hip joint replacement devices, Stryker, is setting up an Australian research and development facility in conjunction with Queensland universities and hospitals.
With assistance from a research grant from the Queensland government, Stryker’s new R&D Lab for Digital, Robotics, and Enabling Technologies will open at the campus of the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in 2022, and will focus on data science, robotics, disease and infection control, and advanced manufacturing research.
According to Stryker, the lab will collaborate with Australian universities, hospital systems and clinicians to help develop and translate novel medical research into practice.
Queensland University says it will be looking to collaborate with Stryker across a range of areas, including the development of new bio-materials, orthopaedics, stem cell technologies, wound healing, medical imaging , digital health and tissue growth.
RACP trainees receive legal warning on disclosure in reflection reports
The RACP has warned trainees not to identify any peers or patients when submitting reports on ‘significant events’ that impacted on their medical professionalism as part of the personal reflection required for training purposes.
The Commonwealth government has ruled that legal Qualified Privilege no longer applies to Professional Qualities Reflection (PQR) activities in Australia, which means that information and documents used in the reflections may be obtained and used in medicolegal actions.
The RACP says documents created before 1 October 2021 will continue to be protected from disclosure, but it “strongly advises de-identifying the names of patients, peers, persons or organisation(s) as well as any information entered in Professional Quality Reflection” after this date.
“If a trainee personally receives a Subpoena or a court order to reveal any Quality Assurance Activity Records, the College encourages them to seek legal advice regarding whether those records must be produced,” it advises.