Physical Activity for a Woman with Churg Strauss Syndrome: Case Report

Abstract

Introduction: Churg Strauss Syndrome (CSS) is an autoimmune disease of undetermined etiology. Its diagnosis can be difficult, not only because of its rarity, but also because of the clinical and anatomopathological overlapping that could be present among different vasculitis; for this reason, it may have an underestimated CSS prevalence Systemic manifestations include myalgia, fever, weight loss, arthralgia, skin changes, peripheral neuropathy, pulmonary involvement, gastrointestinal tract involvement, and cardiomyopathy. Glucocorticoids are commonly used to fight the effects of the disease, however, these have important side effects, such as centripetal obesity, “full moon face”, gibe or “buffalo hump”, osteoporosis, weakness, myopathy, muscle atrophy, aseptic necrosis of the femoral head and humerus, and decrease of the immune system function. Objective: To report a unique case of a patient diagnosed with CSS for 10 years, who is undergoing treatment with corticoids and physical training to fight the side effects of pharmacological treatment. Case Report: To fight the side effects of this treatment; strength training (ST) and running were introduced. The patient underwent strength training three to five times a week throughout the treatment period so far. The load used in her training ranged from 50 to 70% of 1 maximum repetition, according to the periodization, in addition to running twice a week with a subjective perception of effort between 4 and 6. Regular blood tests for eosinophil analysis, bone densitometry, and anthropometric evaluations were performed. The training has pointed out evidence of being useful in maintaining body composition and bone mineral density (BMD). Conclusion: FT and aerobic training are important strategies in fighting the effects of CSS as well as the corticosteroid treatment.