The effects of preobesity to quality of life, disease activity and functional status in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:This study was an investigation of effects of pre-obesity on clinical characteristics and quality of life in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).METHODS:Total of 28 AS patients and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included in the study. Patients and controls with any systemic inflammatory disease and/or cognitive and mental problems were excluded. Disease activity and functional capacity were measured using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index. For quality of life assessment, 36-Item Short Form Health Survey was used in both groups, and AS group also responded to Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life questionnaire.RESULTS:There was no significant difference in sociodemographic characteristics between AS patients and healthy controls (p>0.05). Mean quality of life scores were significantly lower in the pre-obese AS patients compared with controls (p<0.05). Functional capacity was positively and significantly associated with body mass index (BMI) (p=0.024) and disease activity was significantly associated with female gender (p=0.011).CONCLUSION:Increased BMI in patients with AS is factor that affects quality of life, disease activity, and functional capacity. Multidisciplinary rehabilitation programs will support improved quality of life for pre-obese patients with AS.

How does Spinal Mobility Affect Balance and Postural Control in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis? A Cross-Sectional Study

“…However, static balance measurements were affected by the disease duration in our study as similar to the literature [23]. To our best knowledge, there is no study investigating the effect of BMI on static balance of AS compared with our study but Toy et al found that increased BMI in patients with AS is a factor that affects the quality of life, disease activity, and functional capacity [24].…”

Factors associated with disease-specific quality of life in Taiwanese patients with ankylosing spondylitis: a cross-sectional study

“…While it is known that a higher BMI correlates with a greater burden of symptoms in patients with AS,35 the role of adiposity in the QoL of patients with AS has not been widely investigated. Toy and colleagues36 reported in their study that while all of the SF-36 QoL criteria were significantly lower in the preobese patients with AS compared with healthy controls, no significant relationships were observed between patients with AS whose BMI was between 27.1 and 29.9 and those whose BMI was in the range of 25–27. The underlying link between low social participation QoL and obesity observed in the present study will require further investigation, in particular whether the relationship is mediated through obesity-related body image dissatisfaction or physical immobility 37.…”