Age and spinal mobility in ankylosing spondylitis

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Orthopedics
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory condition primarily affecting the spine.
• Assessing disease progression and functional limitations in AS patients is crucial for management.
• Spinal mobility is a key indicator of AS impact, but its correlation with disease duration needs further clarification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between disease duration and various spinal mobility measurements in adult males with AS.
• To determine if age influences the relationship between AS duration and mobility.
• To identify reliable mobility tests for assessing AS-specific changes.

Main Methods:

• Seventy-three adult males diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis underwent standardized mobility measurements.
• Measurements included spine, chest, hip, and shoulder mobility.
• Statistical analysis was performed to correlate mobility tests with disease duration, with adjustments for age.

Main Results:

• Several mobility tests initially showed a significant correlation with AS duration.
• After adjusting for age, only the rotation of the thoracolumbar spine remained significantly correlated with disease duration.
• Age was identified as a significant factor influencing the results of most mobility tests.

Conclusions:

• Age significantly affects the interpretation of spinal mobility measurements in AS patients.
• Rotation of the thoracolumbar spine appears to be a valid and reliable indicator of AS-specific functional changes.
• This finding supports the use of thoracolumbar spine rotation as a specific marker for monitoring AS progression.