Disability in ankylosing spondylitis

Purpose: This study was designed to examine the functional loss in ankylosi ng spondylitis and explore the relationship between disability and various factors such as age, disease duration, disease activity, spinal mobility, c hest expansion, peripheral joint involvement, radiological changes, and psy chosocial well-being. Method: Forty-two patients were included in this cross-sectional study. Results: The results showed that 37 patients had mild to moderate disabilit y, two patients had severe disability, and three patients did not report an y functional loss. Spearman correlation analyses showed that disability was strongly correlated with spinal mobility measures, disease activity measur es, and disease duration. Also, patients with peripheral joint involvement had greater disability. When the predictive effect of five independent vari ables was studied by multiple regression analysis, it was found that the mo st powerful predictors of functional loss in AS patients were cervical rota tion, modified Schober's test, and pain. Conclusions: These data suggest that functional consequences of AS are cons tituted by multiple impairments and each needs to be managed by an integrat ed physiatric approach.