Introduction: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is arthritis of unknown origin and the most common chronic rheumatic disease in children, which, in more severe cases, can affect the quality of life of affected children. Treatment typically includes pharmacological therapy, physiotherapy, and psychosocial support, with biological drugs representing a major advancement in disease management. Physical activity is essential for managing symptoms, maintaining functional physical capacity, and improving cardiorespiratory fitness, which tends to be lower in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis compared to their healthy peers. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to identify the most appropriate cardiorespiratory fitness assessment tool in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis for evaluating the short-term effectiveness of rehabilitation program that can be used in a clinical setting. Methods: The study involved children with JIA enrolled in a rehabilitation program. Participants completed the 6-minute walk test, Queens College step test, and incremental shuttle walk test before and after 12 days of rehabilitation. In addition to group exercises and water-based exercises, participants could also receive individual physiotherapy sessions, cryotherapy, thermotherapy, TENS, massage, biofeedback, or occupational therapy. Results: A total of 49 participants, aged 6 to 18, were initially included. The 6-minute walk test and Queens College step test did not show statistically significant differences (p = 0.39; p = 0.34). However, a significant difference was observed in the incremental shuttle walk test (p < 0.01). There were no changes in disease activity due to the intervention (p = 0.88). Compared to normative values, the results were significantly lower in the 6-minute walk test and the Queens College step test, while values in the incremental shuttle walk test were significantly higher. Linear analyses explained only a small portion of the variability in test result differences (12%–44%). Discussion and conclusion: A definitive conclusion on the most suitable tool for short-term assessment of rehabilitation effectiveness in this population of patients could not be drawn. However, the usefulness of these tools can be inferred based on clinical setting observations. These findings emphasize the importance of regular physical activity for children with JIA, both in clinical and home settings.
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