Comparison of Lower Extremity Muscle Deterioration in Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Healthy Controls: Relationship with Disease Activity, Muscle Strength, and Walking Speed

• Published in: Eurasian Journal of Medicine
• Main Authors: Merve Karapınar, Veysel Atilla Ayyıldız, Aylin Alsaç, Atalay Doğru, Mehmet Şahin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Atatürk University 2026-04-01
• Subjects: Disease activity; muscle quality; muscle strength; rheumatoid arthritis; walking speed
• Online Access: https://www.eajm.org/index.php/pub/article/view/3279

Background: This study aimed to compare muscle quality between women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and age-matched healthy controls and to explore the associations with muscle strength and walking speed. Methods: Thirty women with RA and 30 healthy controls participated. Muscle thickness and echo intensity (EI) of the rectus femoris (RF), vastus medialis, tibialis anterior (TA), medial gastrocnemius (MG), and lateral gastrocnemius (LG) were assessed using B-mode ultrasonography. Disease activity was evaluated using the 28-joint Disease Activity Score. Isometric knee and ankle muscle strength were measured by handheld dynamometry and walking speed by the 20-meter Walk Test. Results: Women with RA exhibited significantly lower muscle thickness in the RF (1.08 vs. 1.51 cm; P = .032), TA (1.46 vs. 1.98 cm; P = .027), MG (1.09 vs. 1.53 cm; P = .040), and LG (0.86 vs. 1.13 cm; P = .013) compared with controls. Echo intensity values were significantly higher in the RA group across all muscles examined (all P < .05). Knee extensor strength (109.26 vs. 122.35 N; P = .004) and walking speed (1.09 vs. 1.98 m/s; P = .032) were also reduced in RA. Disease Activity Score correlated positively with EI (RF: rho = 0.425) and negatively with muscle thickness (RF: rho = −0.456). Conclusion: Women with RA show significant impairments in muscle quality, strength, and mobility, which worsen with increasing disease activity. Regular assessment of muscle morphology and functional performance may support early identification of functional decline and guide appropriate management strategies in this population. Cite this article as: Karapınar M, Ayyıldız VA, Alsa. A, Doğru A, Şahin M. Comparison of lower extremity muscle deterioration in women with rheumatoid arthritis and healthy controls: relationship with disease activity, muscle strength, and walking speed. Eurasian J Med. 2026, 58(3), 1144, doi: 10.5152/eurasianjmed.2026.251144.