Objective Verify the prevalence and risk factors for loss of functional capacity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.

Methods It was a cross-sectional study with 101 SLE women (2019 EULAR/ACR criteria) that attended medical routine consultation. For functional capacity (FC) we applied the handgrip, static balance and sit and stand 5 times (SLC5x) tests. The disease activity and cumulative organ damage were evaluated by SLEDAI and SLICC/ACR damage index. We also evaluated the association between FC and: body mass index; smoking; comorbidities; sociodemographic variables; medication use, physical exercises (PE) and severity fatigue scale.

Results 101 women were included with a prevalence of functional disability of 92.1%. The mean age was 38.5 years, 9.2 ±6.6 years of disease diagnosis. BMI 25.7 ±4.9 and 7.9 ± 3.8 years of education. 77.2% were sedentary. Regarding fatigue, the prevalence was 66.3% and the mean fatigue score was 37.2 ±16.9. In logistic regression, non practitioners of PE were 3 times more likely to have the presence of fatigue and 5 times more likely to have a low functional capacity.

Conclusions This study shown a very high prevalence of functional disability in young SLE patients. In this context, we verify that low practice of physical exercise is important factor risk that could be changed. So, we emphasize the necessity of adequate physical activity prescription for patients with SLE, in order to minimize the loss of functional capacity.