[Spondyloarthropathies--clinical evaluation and physical therapy]

Spondyloarthropathy is a group of chronic autoimmune disorders including ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, arthritis associated with inflammatory bowel disease, acute anterior uveitis and undifferentiated spondyloarthropathies. The spondyloarthropathies share common clinical, radiological, and genetic features that are clearly distinct from other inflammatory rheumatic diseases. The major goal in the management of patients with rheumatic disorders is to control or cure the disease and to preserve and control function and health status. To measure treatments' efficacy standardized assessment of organ morphology, function, and of health status are required. The instruments for measuring health status or quality of life cover a variety of dimensions of health, including physical, social, and emotional functioning. Measurements used to evaluate the efficacy of treatments in ankylosing spondylitis include spinal and chest movement, duration and severity of morning stiffness, and quality of sleep. Health status indices such as the HAQ or AIMS are not readily applicable to spondyloarthropaties. It is reason to use some others: 1. Functional status measure S-HAQ for patients with spondylitis by adding five items to the HAQ, to cover the activities identified as most problematic; 2. Functional index for the assessment of ankylosing spondylitis (Dougados Functional Index - DFI) - it is valid and reliable and shows sufficient responsiveness; S-HAQ appears at least as sensitive to change as the Dougados Index; 3. The Leeds Disability Questionnaire assesses disability in ankylosing spondylitis, inquiring about four areas of function: mobility, bending down, reaching up and neck movements, and postures; 4. The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) 10 item self-administered questionnaire to assess function and activities of daily living in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Physical therapy is one of the most important way to restore function and health status in patients with spondyloarthropathies, esspecially individual kinesitherapy. We use and many other procedures combine them with kinesitherapy (ultrasound, cryotherapy, electrotherapy, laser ...).