The association between disease activity and depression, anxiety, and quality of life in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between disease activity and depression, anxiety and quality of life in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods: Hundred and ten subjects, including 57 patients with AS and 53 healthy controls, participated in the study. Depression and anxiety levels of all participants were evaluated with the BECK Depression Inventory (BDI) and the BECK Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Disease activity was evaluated with Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), functional status with Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), and quality of life with Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (ASQoL). Results: The age and gender distribution were similar between the groups. When the two groups were compared, the patient group had higher mean scores for depression and anxiety (for AS patients 14.89±10.23, 11.59±10.59; for healthy group 3.81±5.49, 2.04±3.08). AS patients with low BASDAI scores had lower BDI, BAI and ASQoL scores compared to those with high scores. While there was no significant difference in the HLA-B27 positive AS group in terms of BDI and ASQoL scores, BAI score was significantly higher in the HLA-B27 positive group (p