Ankylosing spondylitis and kinesiophobia

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Psychology
• Pain Management

Background:

• Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic rheumatic condition impacting the axial skeleton, leading to pain and functional limitations.
• Kinesiophobia, the fear of movement, is frequently observed in chronic pain patients and can impede treatment success.
• Understanding kinesiophobia's prevalence and correlates in AS is crucial for improving patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of kinesiophobia in patients diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis.
• To investigate the association between kinesiophobia levels and key clinical parameters in AS.
• To explore relationships with demographic factors, disease duration, pain, disease activity, and functional status.

Main Methods:

• A single-center study involving 35 ankylosing spondylitis patients between July 2021 and July 2023.
• Data collected included demographics, disease duration, BASDAI (disease activity), BASFI (functionality), VAS (pain intensity), and TSK (kinesiophobia).
• Patients were stratified into low and high kinesiophobia groups based on TSK scores for comparative analysis.

Main Results:

• Over 42% of AS patients (15 out of 35) exhibited high kinesiophobia (TSK score ≥37).
• High kinesiophobia was significantly linked to elevated BASDAI, BASFI, and VAS scores (p < 0.001).
• No significant correlations were found between kinesiophobia and patient age, gender, or disease duration (p > 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Elevated kinesiophobia is a significant concern in ankylosing spondylitis, closely associated with increased pain, disease activity, and functional impairment.
• These findings underscore the importance of addressing kinesiophobia in AS management.
• Early therapeutic strategies targeting kinesiophobia may enhance treatment efficacy and improve overall patient functionality in AS.