Quality of life and related variables in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate quality of life (QoL) and related variables in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a chronic inflammatory disease of the spine.


METHODS
Nine-hundred and sixty-two patients with AS from the Turkish League Against Rheumatism AS Registry, who fulfilled the modified New York criteria, were enrolled. The patients were evaluated using the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society core outcome domains including Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), fatigue (BASDAI-question 1), pain (last week/spine/due to AS), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Radiology Index (BASRI), Maastricht Ankylosing Spondylitis Enthesitis Score (MASES) and two QoL questionnaires (the disease-specific ASQoL and generic the Short Form-36 [SF-36]).


RESULTS
The mean ASQoL score was 7.1 ± 5.7. SF-36 subscales of general health, physical role and bodily pain had the poorest scores. ASQoL was strongly correlated with disease duration, BASDAI, fatigue, BASFI, BASMI, BASRI, MASES, pain and SF-36 subscales (P < 0.001). SF-36 subscales were also strongly correlated with BASDAI and BASFI. Advanced educational status and regular exercise habits positively affected QoL, while smoking negatively affected QoL.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with AS, the most significant variables associated with QoL were BASDAI, BASFI, fatigue and pain. ASQoL was noted to be a short, rapid and simple patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument and strongly correlated with SF-36 subscales.
Bodur
Hatice
H
Ankara Numune Training & Research Hospital, Mürsel Uluç M, 937.S, 35/17, 06450, Ankara, Turkey. haticebodur@gmail.com
Ataman
Sebnem
S
Rezvani
Aylin
A
Buğdaycı
Derya Soy
DS
Cevik
Remzi
R
Birtane
Murat
M
Akıncı
Ayşen
A
Altay
Zuhal
Z
Günaydın
Rezzan
R
Yener
Mahmut
M
Koçyiğit
Hikmet
H
Duruöz
Tuncay
T
Yazgan
Pelin
P
Cakar
Engin
E
Aydın
Gülümser
G
Hepgüler
Simin
S
Altan
Lale
L
Kırnap
Mehmet
M
Olmez
Neşe
N
Soydemir
Raikan
R
Kozanoğlu
Erkan
E
Bal
Ajda
A
Sivrioğlu
Konçuy
K
Karkucak
Murat
M
Günendi
Zafer
Z
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005221:Fatigue; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain; D011788:Quality of Life; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey; D055815:Young Adult