Correlation analysis of lumbar syndesmophytes, global kyphosis and quality of life in ankylosing spondylitis patients

English Keywords:Ankylosing spondylitis  Syndesmophytes  Kyphosis  Quality of life

English Abstract:

  【Abstract】 Objectives: To investigate the correlations of lumbar syndesmophytes and global kyphosis with quality of life in ankylosing spondylitis(AS) patients. Methods: From April 2011 to October 2014, 106 AS patients were included. There were 98 males and 8 females, with an average age of 36.4±9.5 years(range, 20-64 years) and a mean disease duration of 12.4±7.5 years(1-37 years). The clinical data consisted of age, age of onset, disease duration, global kyphosis(GK), Oswestry disability index(ODI), Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index(BASDAI), Bath ankylosing spondylitis functional index(BASFI), erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR) and C-reaction protein(CRP). Lumbar syndesmophytes were evaluated by Stoke ankylosing spondylitis spinal score(SASSS). The subjects were divided into group A and group B according to SASSS(group A, SASSS≤36; group B, SASSS>36). The differences of the parameters between group A and group B were analyzed by the independent t-test. Pearson correlation was used to evaluate the relationships among clinical parameters and to investigate the risk factors correlated with SASSS. Results: 61 AS patients were included in group A(58 males and 3 females) and the mean SASSS score was 18.6±9.4. 45 AS patients were included in group B(40 males and 5 females) and the mean SASSS score was 59.1±21.4. Age, disease duration, GK and BSFI were observed significantly different between group A and group B(P<0.05); age of onset, ODI, BASDAI, ESR, and CRP were observed no significantly different between group A and group B(P>0.05). Age, disease duration, GK, ODI and BSFI were found significantly correlated with SASSS(r=0.505, 0.650, 0.414, 0.219, 0.319; P<0.05). Disease duration, SASSS and GK were remarkably correlated with ODI(r=0.228, 0.219, 0.230; P<0.05) and BASFI(r=0.258, 0.319, 0.314; P<0.05). Conclusions: Older age, longer disease duration and larger GK are high risk factors of SASSS in AS patients. The quality of life in AS patients is severely affected by the higher SASSS and larger GK.