Efficacy of Resistance Exercise and an Anti-Inflammatory Diet on Pain, Disease Activity, Functional Status, and Quality of Life in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis (RED-RA)

Berra Yamuç Tanrıöğen

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Rheumatoid Arthritis

Treatments: Behavioral: Exercise; Behavioral: Diet; Other: Medical management/current medications per standard of care by personal physician.

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07262112

202405

BAUN-MED-RA-2025 (Other Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to examine how resistance exercises and an anti-inflammatory diet affect pain, daily functioning, disease activity, and quality of life in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Participants will follow a structured exercise program and a diet plan designed to reduce inflammation. The study will measure changes in pain levels, mobility, overall health, and disease symptoms over time. The goal is to determine whether combining exercise and an anti-inflammatory diet can help improve the daily lives and well-being of individuals living with rheumatoid arthritis.

Full description

This study examines the combined effects of resistance exercise and an anti-inflammatory diet on clinical outcomes in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA is a chronic inflammatory condition that commonly leads to persistent pain, reduced physical function, and diminished quality of life. Non-pharmacological strategies, including structured exercise and dietary modification, have shown promise as complementary approaches to routine RA management.

Participants in this study will engage in a supervised resistance exercise program along with an anti-inflammatory diet designed to reduce systemic inflammation and support overall musculoskeletal health. The exercise component focuses on improving muscle strength, joint stability, and functional performance, while the dietary intervention emphasizes foods known to lower inflammatory activity.

Outcome assessments will be conducted at baseline (week 0), week 6, and month 3 to evaluate the progression of clinical improvements. Measures will include quality of life, disease activity, functional status, and pain levels. Validated tools and standardized assessment instruments will be used to ensure precise and reliable data collection across all time points.

The aim of this study is to determine whether combining resistance exercise with an anti-inflammatory diet results in meaningful, measurable improvements over time in individuals living with rheumatoid arthritis. The findings may contribute to evidence supporting the integration of multimodal lifestyle interventions into routine RA care.

Enrollment: 100 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Participant voluntarily agrees to participate in the study and provides written informed consent.
• Aged 18 years or older.
• Has low to moderate disease activity (e.g., according to DAS28 score)

Exclusion criteria

• Participants under 18 years of age.
• Uncontrolled diabetes or other metabolic/endocrine disorders.
• Uncontrolled hypertension.
• Any changes in medication within the last 1 month.
• Morbid obesity (BMI > 40).
• Pregnancy.
• Chronic kidney disease.
• Presence of psychiatric disorders.
• Alcoholism.
• Any condition contraindicating exercise, including congestive heart failure, lung disease, cancer, active infection, recent fracture, or recent ligament/tendon injury.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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100 participants in 4 patient groups

exercise

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will undergo supervised strengthening exercises using resistance bands in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation unit. Sessions will be conducted 3 days per week, each lasting 1 hour, for a total duration of 6 weeks under physician supervision

Treatment:

Behavioral: Exercise

Diet+exercise

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will follow a dietitian-supervised anti-inflammatory diet for 3 months. In addition, they will undergo supervised strengthening exercises using resistance bands in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation unit. Exercise sessions will be performed 3 days per week, each lasting 1 hour, for a total duration of 6 weeks under physician supervision

Treatment:

Behavioral: Diet

Behavioral: Exercise

diet

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will follow a dietitian-supervised anti-inflammatory diet for a duration of 3 months

Treatment:

Behavioral: Diet

control

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants will continue to receive standard medical treatment for rheumatoid arthritis as prescribed by their treating physician. No study-specific intervention will be added, and routine RA medications and management will be maintained throughout the study period

Treatment:

Other: Medical management/current medications per standard of care by personal physician.