SynthesisArthritis research & therapy2015
Effects of exercise on depression in adults with arthritis: a systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Synthesis in Arthritis research & therapy, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 47 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
47 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 93 citations in OpenAlex.
- The efficacy and safety of regorafenib/fruquintinib combined with PD-1/PD-L1 for metastatic colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis based on single-arm studies.Frontiers in immunology · 2025Pooled it
- Exercise as adjunctive therapy for systemic lupus erythematosus.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2023Pooled it
- Interventions for Depressive Symptoms in People Living with Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review of Meta-Analyses.Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.) · 2022Pooled it
- German recommendations for physical activity and physical activity promotion in adults with noncommunicable diseases.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2020Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Community-deliverable exercise and depression in adults with arthritis: Confirmatory evidence of a meta-analysis using the IVhet model.Journal of evidence-based medicine · 2018Pooled it
- Does baseline physical function modify the response to a physical activity intervention in adults with arthritis? A secondary analysis of a randomized trial.Rheumatology international · 2026Trial
- Effectiveness of a Telephone-Delivered Walk With Ease Program on Arthritis-Related Symptoms, Function, and Activity: A Randomized Trial.Arthritis care & research · 2025Trial
- Moderate-to-high intensity exercise with person-centered guidance influences fatigue in older adults with rheumatoid arthritis.Rheumatology international · 2019Trial
- Emerging trends in the management of difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis: targeted treatments and non-pharmacological interventions.Rheumatology (Oxford, England) · 2026Review
- An app-based physical activity intervention for people with hip and knee osteoarthritis: protocol for the PIANISSIMO feasibility study.Pilot and feasibility studies · 2025Article
- Do Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Have an (In)Adequate Level of Physical Activity? A Latent Class Analysis Approach.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Integrating Rehabilitation Services into Routine Care of Rheumatoid Arthritis May Reduce the Inflammatory Response: A Hospital-Based Follow-Up Study in Taiwan.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2024Article
- Predictors of Patient Engagement With an Interprofessional Lifestyle Medicine Program.American journal of lifestyle medicine · 2023Article
- Article
- Recruitment and Retention Strategies for Underrepresented Populations and Adults With Arthritis in Behavioral Interventions: A Scoping Review.Arthritis care & research · 2023Article
- Effectiveness of physical activity interventions for improving depression, anxiety and distress: an overview of systematic reviews.British journal of sports medicine · 2023Review
- Exploring the emotional impact of axial Spondyloarthritis: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies and a review of social media.BMC rheumatology · 2023Article
- Exercise for Mental Well-Being: Exploring Neurobiological Advances and Intervention Effects in Depression.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Review
- Effects of Aquatic Exercises for Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A 12-Week Intervention in a Quasi-Experimental Study with Pain as a Mediator of Depression.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
introductionPrevious randomized controlled trials have led to conflicting findings regarding the effects of exercise on depressive symptoms in adults with arthritis and other rheumatic conditions (AORC). The purpose of this study was to use the meta-analytic approach to resolve these discrepancies.
methodsThe inclusion criteria were: (1) randomized controlled trials, (2) exercise (aerobic, strength training, or both) ≥4 weeks, (3) comparative control group, (4) adults with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia or systemic lupus erythematosus, (5) published studies in any language since January 1, 1981 and (6) depressive symptoms assessed. Studies were located by searching 10 electronic databases, cross-referencing, hand searching and expert review. Dual-selection of studies and data abstraction was performed. Hedge's standardized mean difference effect size (g) was calculated for each result and pooled using random-effects models, an approach that accounts for heterogeneity. Non-overlapping 95% confidence intervals (CI) were considered statistically significant. Heterogeneity based on fixed-effect models was estimated using Q and I (2) with alpha values ≤0.10 for Q considered statistically significant.
resultsOf the 500 citations reviewed, 2,449 participants (1,470 exercise, 979 control) nested within 29 studies were included. Length of training, reported as mean ± standard deviation (±SD) was 19 ± 16 weeks, frequency 4 ± 2 times per week and duration 34 ± 17 minutes per session. Overall, statistically significant exercise minus control group reductions were found for depressive symptoms (g = -0.42, 95% CI, -0.58, -0.26, Q = 126.9, P <0.0001, I(2) = 73.2%). The number needed-to-treat was 7 (95% CI, 6 to 11) with an estimated 3.1 million (95% CI, 2.0 to 3.7) United States adults not currently meeting physical activity guidelines improving their depressive symptoms if they began and maintained a regular exercise program. Using Cohen's U3 Index, the percentile reduction was 16.4% (95% CI, 10.4% to 21.9%). All studies were considered to be at high risk of bias with respect to blinding of participants and personnel to group assignment.
conclusionsExercise is associated with reductions in depressive symptoms among selected adults with AORC. A need exists for additional, well-designed and reported studies on this topic.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.