Enhanced ventricular-arterial coupling during a 2-year physical activity programme in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a prospective substudy of the physical activity in rheumatoid arthritis 2010 trial.

These results indicate that although differentially associated with physical capacity parameters, improved vascular stiffness and improved diastolic dysfunction are interrelated, and that an optimization of the ventricular-arterial coupling may contribute to the beneficial effects of physical activity in patients with RA.