Relationships between Clinical Status and Gait Parameters in Ankylosing Spondylitis

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Biomechanics
• Physical Therapy

Background:

• Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the spine.
• Gait disturbances are common in AS, impacting patient mobility and quality of life.
• Understanding the relationship between gait and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is crucial for AS management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between gait parameters and HRQOL in patients with AS.
• To compare gait parameters between AS patients and healthy controls.
• To identify gait parameters that predict clinical outcomes in AS.

Main Methods:

• Instrumented gait analysis was performed on 134 AS patients and 124 controls.
• Gait parameters included walking speed, step length, cadence, stance phase, single support, double support, phase coordination index (PCI), and gait asymmetry (GA).
• Clinical outcomes were assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS) for back pain, SF-36 for HRQOL, and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI).

Main Results:

• Significant differences in walking speed, step length, single support, PCI, and GA were observed between AS patients and controls.
• Gait parameters showed significant correlations with clinical outcomes.
• Walking speed predicted VAS scores, while walking speed and step length predicted BASDAI and SF-36 scores.

Conclusions:

• Patients with AS exhibit distinct gait patterns compared to healthy individuals.
• Gait kinematic data are significantly correlated with clinical outcomes in AS.
• Walking speed and step length are important predictors of clinical outcomes, including pain, disease activity, and HRQOL, in AS patients.