Vol.23 No.6

Original Article

Fatigue and correlation with disease-specific variables, spinal mobility measures, and health-related quality of life in ankylosing spondylitis

Authors

Berat Meryem Alkan 1 , Fatma Fidan1 , Sukran Erten1 , Hatice Aksekili1 , Ay?enur Alemdar1 , Esra Eroglu1 , Ozge Ard?coglu1 , Aliye Tosun1

  • Atat?rk Education and Research Hospital Ankara, Ahmet Taner K??lal? mah. 2875 sok no 8, ?ayyolu, Ankara, Turkey
Received:

30 August 2012

Accepted:

8 November 2012

Published online:

8 December 2012

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Abstract

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate fatigue in Turkish patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and its relationship with disease-specific variables, spinal mobility measures, and health-related quality of life (HR-QoL).
Methods One hundred and ten patients diagnosed as AS according to the Modified New York Criteria and 40 healthy individuals were included in this study. The Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue (MAF) was used in patient and control groups to assess fatigue. The first item of Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) was also used to assess fatigue in the patient group. Evaluation included BASDAI, functional status [BAS Functional Index (BASFI)], and visual analog scale (VAS) of axial and joint pain. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were also measured. The generic instrument Short Form 36 (SF 36) was used to assess HRQoL in the patient group.
Results Patients with AS had higher total MAF scores and in all MAF subgroup scales than controls. All patient MAF scores were significantly correlated with morning stiffness, number of swollen joints, history of peripheral arthritis, BASDAI, BASFI, BASDAI-fatigue, VAS axial, VAS peripheral, and SF 36 subgroups (p%ABST%.05). No correlation was observed between all MAF scores and age, body mass index (BMI), disease duration, meteorological measures, and medications in patients.
Conclusions Patients with AS defined significantly more fatigue when compared with healthy persons. MAF was related to clinical and functional status and HR-QoL of patients with AS. We assume that MAF can be used as a sensitive fatigue measure in patients with AS.

Key words

Ankylosing spondylitis, MAF, Metrological measures, HR-QoL