Quality of life in ankylosing spondylitis: validation of the ankylosing spondylitis Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2, a modified Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales Questionnaire.
OBJECTIVE
To develop a questionnaire measuring quality of life in ankylosing spondylitis (AS).


METHODS
A focus group technique contributed to the generation of an AS-specific questionnaire using the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2 (AIMS2) (12 dimensions), supplemented with items from the Health Assessment Questionnaire for the Spondylar-thropathies, as well as original new items. Patients from a self-help group provided data to assess the validity (n = 146) and reproducibility (n = 43) of the AS-AIMS2.


RESULTS
The focus group generated a thirteenth dimension including 6 items labeled "spine mobility." Principal component analyses on AS-AIMS2 showed satisfactory dimensionality (74.1% of variance explained), high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.78-0.91), significant convergent validity of the new dimension with spine pain and mobility, and good reproducibility in the 13 dimensions and 5 components (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.7-0.9). The scores in each component of the AS-AIMS2 showed a marked deterioration of quality of life in these young patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The disease-specific AS-AIMS2 questionnaire should help improve care management in AS.
Guillemin
F
F
Département d'Informatique Médicale, Hôpital Minjoz, Centre Ilospitalier Universitaire, Besançon, France.
Challier
B
B
Urlacher
F
F
Vançon
G
G
Pourel
J
J
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*