Bed rest, activity and the inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis.

Seventy-five patients with rheumatoid arthritis have been studied in order to assess the relative contributions of bed rest and planned activity on the observed improvement in arthritis during hospitalization. The benefit of bed rest was less than expected; only a third of patients showed significant improvement. A similar number improved during planned activity and although bed rest was superior the advantages were small. The features of those patients who responded to bed rest or planned activity showed small but important differences indicating that more careful selection to one or other regimen may increase the number of patients benefiting from hospitalization.