title: Aerobic capacity and its correlates in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate aerobic capacity in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and determine possible relationships between aerobic capacity, pulmonary function, and disease-related variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two patients with AS and 42 healthy controls were recruited in the study. Descriptive data, disease-related variables (grip strength, lumbosacral mobility, occiput-to-wall distance, chest expansion, finger-to-floor distance, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Global Score, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) and hemoglobin), and chest and thoracic spine x-rays were collected in each patient with AS. All subjects took standard pulmonary function and exercise tolerance tests, and forced vital capacity (FVC) and aerobic capacity were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both aerobic capacity and FVC in patients with AS were significantly lower than those in normal subjects (P < 0.05). AS patients with BASFI scores of < 3 or BASDI scores of < 4 had a higher aerobic capacity. There was significant correlation between aerobic capacity, vital capacity, chest expansion, Schober's test, cervical range of motion, and BASFI in patients with AS. Neither aerobic capacity nor vital capacity correlated with disease duration, ESR, CRP, and hemoglobin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significantly reduced aerobic capacity and FVC were observed in patients with AS, and there was significant correlation between aerobic capacity, vital capacity, chest expansion, and BASFI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.|School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Lin-Fen
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.|Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.|Graduated Institute of Integrated Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: James Cheng-Chung
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsin-Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.|Department of Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Cheng
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.|Department of Chest Medicine, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jiunn-Song
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kae-Chwen
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength; D006304:Health Status; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014797:Vital Capacity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006454:Hemoglobins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: aerobic capacity; ankylosing spondylitis; chest expansion; exercise tolerance test; functional ability; pulmonary function