Assessing back pain: does the Oswestry Disability Questionnaire accurately measure function in ankylosing spondylitis?
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (ODQ) can be used to assess the degree of pain or disability in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).


METHODS
The ODQ was administered to a cohort of patients with AS. The resulting pain scores were correlated to the conventional measures in AS, the Bath AS Disease Activity Index and Functional Index (BASDAI and BASFI), as well as the Total and Nocturnal Back Pain scores, and the patient global assessment score.


RESULTS
A total of 49 patients with AS were assessed (38 men, 11 women), mean age 40 years (range 17-68). The mean ODQ score was 40/100 (range 0-92), the mean BASDAI 3.7/10 (range 0-9.5), the mean BASFI 3.3/10 (range 0-9.7), the mean total back pain score 3.7/10 (range 0-10), and the mean patient global assessment score 3.6/10 (range 0-10). Correlation between the ODQ and the traditional AS outcome measures was very good, with a correlation coefficient of r = 0.73 (BASFI) and r = 0.70 (BASDAI). Correlations between the ODQ and the total back pain score (r = 0.70) and the patient self-reported global assessment (r = 0.61) were good.


CONCLUSIONS
The strong correlations between the ODQ and BASFI and BASDAI indicate that it identifies both activity and function domains in AS. This is the first demonstration of a role for this outcome measure in the assessment of patients with AS.
O'Shea
Finbar D
FD
Division of Rheumatology, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 2S8, Canada.
Riarh
Reena
R
Anton
Annepa
A
Inman
Robert D
RD
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult