ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to evaluate the relationships between disease activity, functional capacity, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Filipino patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).METHODS: Filipino AS patients gathered from the Rheumatology Clinic of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and from selected tertiary hospitals in Metro Manila who have been diagnosed via the Revised New York Criteria were included. Disease activity was measured using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), while functional capacity and HRQoL were measured using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) and Short Form (SF)-36, respectively. Pearson's correlation was used to analyze the relationship between BASDAI and BASFI, and between BASDAI and SF-36.RESULTS: Twenty-four patients entered the study. Mean age was 38.75 ± 12.7 years and mean age at diagnosis was 31 ± 12.29 years. Symptoms occurred for a mean of 9.0 ± 6.97 years with mean duration of symptom onset to diagnosis of 3.38 ± 5.14 years. Study subjects had mild to moderate disease activity. Functional capacity was most impaired in performing a full day's activities at home or at work. HRQoL was highest in vitality and lowest in emotional role, with mental health components generally showing higher scores than physical health components. Pearson's correlation showed moderate positive correlation between BASDAI and BASFI (r=0.6016, p=0.0012) and moderate negative correlation between BASDAI and the physical health domain (r= -0.6916, p=0.0001) and mental health domain (r= -0.3575, p=0.0863) of SF-36. However, only the first two correlations were statistically significant.CONCLUSION: Filipino AS patients with higher disease activity have more functional disability and poorer physical HRQoL.