Gait characteristics in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic rheumatic disease which affects the axial skeleton and sacroiliac joints. By impacting spinal mobility and physical functions, AS could also potentially impair gait. However, while published data are rather sparse, it appears that discrepancies exist regarding AS consequences on gait characteristics, tasks and analysis techniques used to assess gait ability of patients with AS. The review questions are twofold: (1) How is gait assessed in patients with AS? and (2) What are the consequences of AS on gait? METHODS: Databases were systematically searched to identify studies satisfying the search criteria, using the synonyms of ankylosing spondylitis and gait. Two reviewers extracted from the articles study characteristics, methods and main results in relation to gait. RESULTS: 192 titles were extracted from databases and 21 studies were included in the review. 16 studies (76%) used clinical gait measurements and 5 (23%) used laboratory gait measurements. Only 7 involved a healthy control group. Studies used various protocols, instructions and parameters when assessing gait. Gait of patients with AS was associated with decreased stride length, pelvic movements and lower limbs angles in the sagittal plane, and increased hip abduction and external rotation compared to healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: Only few studies have assessed gait characteristics in patients with AS and published data evidence that kinematic parameters of gait is altered, but no consensus exists regarding gait analysis methods for patients with AS. Guidelines are provided to improve the design and methodology for future studies on gait and AS.

Foot-Worn Inertial Sensors Are Reliable to Assess Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters in Axial Spondyloarthritis under Single and Dual Task Walking in Axial Spondyloarthritis.

The aim of this study was (1) to evaluate the relative and absolute reliability of gait parameters during walking in single- and dual-task conditions in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), (2) to evaluate the absolute and relative reliability of dual task effects (DTE) parameters, and (3) to determine the number of trials required to ensure reliable gait assessment, in patients with axSpA. Twenty patients with axSpa performed a 10-m walk test in single- and dual-task conditions, three times for each condition. Spatiotemporal, symmetry, and DTE gait parameters were calculated from foot-worn inertial sensors. The relative reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients-ICC) and absolute reliability (standard error of measurement-SEM and minimum detectable change-MDC) were calculated for these parameters in each condition. Spatiotemporal gait parameters showed good to excellent reliability in both conditions (0.59 < ICC < 0.90). The reliability of symmetry and DTE parameters was low. ICC, SEM, and MDC were better when using the mean of the second and the third trials. Spatiotemporal gait parameters obtained from foot-worn inertial sensors assessed in patients with axSpA in single- and dual-task conditions are reliable. However, symmetry and DTE parameters seem less reliable and need to be interpreted with caution. Finally, better reliability of gait parameters was found when using the mean of the 2nd and the 3rd trials.

Gait as predictor of physical function in axial spondyloarthritis: the prospective longitudinal FOLOMI (Function, Locomotion, Measurement, Inflammation) study protocol.

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease affecting predominantly sacroiliac joints and axial skeleton. axSpA progression being irregular and hardly predictable, identifying functional decline is particularly important in patient with axSpA to allow delivery of timely and targeted interventions. Pain, reduced range of motion or altered posture can have adverse consequences on gait. Although gait has previously been used as a sensitive measure of physical outcomes in elderly and pathological populations, to the best of our knowledge, no study has used gait as a predictor of physical function in patients with axSpA. The objective of our study is hence to determine if gait parameters measured in patients with axSpA could predict the evaluation at 18 months of physical function as assessed by the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI). This is a prospective and longitudinal study. Sixty patients with axSpA and 30 healthy age- and sex-matched controls will be included. Patients should be aged 18-65 years at time of their first evaluation, followed at Grenoble Alpes University Hospital for axSpA or ankylosing spondylitis, able to walk 180 m without technical help and with stable treatment for at least 12 months. Clinical characteristics, BASFI, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), clinical and laboratory measurements of gait will be assessed during four visits (at baseline and at months 6, 12, and 18). Similar assessments will be performed once for the healthy control group. A linear mixed model at 6, 12 and 18 months will be constructed to answer to the first objective, with the BASFI as dependent variable and gait parameters as explanatory variables. The data collection started in August 2018 and will be completed with the inclusion and follow-up of all the participants. We believe that the combination of clinical and laboratory measurements of gait in patients with axSpA could strengthen the capacity to monitor disease's evolution and to predict changes in patients' physical function. Results of the present study could ultimately allow delivering targeted, timely, personalized interventions and treatment in patients with axSpA.Trial registration: The study was approved by local ethic committee (CPP Ile De France 1, RCB: 2017-A03468-45, date of agreement: July 17th, last version: V4.0, 2018, March 5th, 2019) and is retrospectively registered in Clinical trials (NCT03761212).

Translation and French Linguistic Validation of the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index and the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Global Score in Patients with Axial Spondyloarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) may lead to functional and physical disturbances. Self-administered questionnaires can measure functional limitations associated to axSpA. If these questionnaires are currently used in clinical practice and research, the French version of these questionnaires has not been validated. The aim of this study was to translate and perform a linguistic validation of the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) and the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Global score (BAS-G) in French. METHODS: The study has been approved by local ethic committee and is registered in Clinical Trial (NCT04212806). The translation process was performed through a forward/backward validation process, followed by clinician experts validation and patient cognitive interviews. RESULTS: The two questionnaires were translated into a French version by two independent translators. Translators then agreed on sentences being different between the two translations. The backward translation was equivalent to the initial English version except for two questions. Five French clinician experts on rheumatology made essential changes in sentences constructions of the translated questionnaire. The last version of the questionnaires was presented to 5 patients with axSpA which all found them clear and understandable. CONCLUSION: BASFI and BAS-G would be a generally reliable instrument for patients with axSpA. These questionnaires can be widely used in clinical practice and research in French-speaking population. The use of these questionnaires is expected to have a positive impact on patient care to better understand physical consequences of axSpA.

Gait in Patients with Axial Spondyloarthritis: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic inflammatory disease predominantly affecting the axial skeleton. axSpA includes radiographic (i.e., ankylosing spondylitis (AS)) and non-radiographic forms (nr-axSpA). Although recent studies have reported that patients with AS have impaired gait, axSpA's consequences on gait remain unknown. The present review's objectives were to identify: 1) how gait is assessed in patients with axSpA, and 2) what the gait characteristics are of patients with axSpA. This systematic review's protocol was registered in the Prospero database (CRD42020128509). Three databases were systematically searched using keywords related to axSpA and gait. Two independent reviewers selected the articles and extracted the data. The search revealed two hundred titles and abstracts, and two articles were finally included in this review, comprising a total of 132 patients with axSpA. One of the included studies used the 6 m maximum gait velocity test (axSpA: 2.2 ± 0.5 m/s), and the other used the six-minute walk test (axSpA: 414 ± 106 m). Neither study involved a control group to compare gait. Only two published studies assessed the gait performance of patients with axSpA using clinical tests. Furthermore, neither of them compared gait performance to healthy controls or differentiated gait between the AS and nr-axSpA forms of axSPA. The present literature review highlights the need for future research to learn more about how gait is impaired in different types of patients with axSpA.

Wearables for Measuring the Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior of Patients With Axial Spondyloarthritis: Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is an inflammatory rheumatic disease associated with chronic back pain and restricted mobility and physical function. Increasing physical activity is a viable strategy for improving the health and quality of life of patients with axSpA. Thus, quantifying physical activity and sedentary behavior in this population is relevant to clinical outcomes and disease management. However, to the best of our knowledge, no systematic review to date has identified and synthesized the available evidence on the use of wearable devices to objectively measure the physical activity or sedentary behavior of patients with axSpA. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to review the literature on the use of wearable activity trackers as outcome measures for physical activity and sedentary behavior in patients with axSpA. METHODS: PubMed, PEDro, and Cochrane electronic databases were searched in July 2021 for relevant original articles, with no limits on publication dates. Studies were included if they were original articles, targeted adults with a diagnosis of axSpA, and reported wearable device-measured physical activity or sedentary behavior among patients with axSpA. Data regarding the study's characteristics, the sample description, the methods used for measuring physical activity and sedentary behavior (eg, wearable devices, assessment methods, and outcomes), and the main results of the physical activity and sedentary behavior assessments were extracted. RESULTS: A total of 31 studies were initially identified; 13 (13/31, 42%) met the inclusion criteria, including 819 patients with axSpA. All the studies used accelerometer-based wearable devices to assess physical activity. Of the 13 studies, 4 (4/31, 31%) studies also reported outcomes related to sedentary behavior. Wearable devices were secured on the wrists (3/13 studies, 23%), lower back (3/13, 23%), right hip (3/13, 23%), waist (2/13, 15%), anterior thigh (1/13, 8%), or right arm (1/13, 8%). The methods for reporting physical activity and sedentary behavior were heterogeneous. Approximately 77% (10/13) of studies had a monitoring period of 1 week, including weekend days. CONCLUSIONS: To date, few studies have used wearable devices to quantify the physical activity and sedentary behavior of patients with axSpA. The methodologies and results were heterogeneous, and none of these studies assessed the psychometric properties of these wearables in this specific population. Further investigation in this direction is needed before using wearable device-measured physical activity and sedentary behavior as outcome measures in intervention studies in patients with axSpA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42020182398; https://tinyurl.com/ec22jzkt. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.2196/23359.

The effects of a secondary task on gait in axial spondyloarthritis.

Studies on the effects of dual tasking in patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases are limited. The aim of this study was to assess dual tasking while walking in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) in comparison to healthy controls. Thirty patients with axSpA and thirty healthy controls underwent a 10-m walk test at a self-selected comfortable walking speed in single- and dual-task conditions. Foot-worn inertial sensors were used to compute spatiotemporal gait parameters. Analysis of spatiotemporal gait parameters showed that the secondary manual task negatively affected walking performance in terms of significantly decreased mean speed (p < 0.001), stride length (p < 0.001) and swing time (p = 0.008) and increased double support (p = 0.002) and stance time (p = 0.008). No significant interaction of group and condition was observed. Both groups showed lower gait performance in dual task condition by reducing speed, swing time and stride length, and increasing double support and stance time. Patients with axSpA were not more affected by the dual task than matched healthy controls, suggesting that the secondary manual task did not require greater attention in patients with axSpA. Increasing the complexity of the walking and/or secondary task may increase the sensitivity of the dual-task design to axial spondyloarthritis.

Gait and Axial Spondyloarthritis: Comparative Gait Analysis Study Using Foot-Worn Inertial Sensors.

BACKGROUND: Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) can lead to spinal mobility restrictions associated with restricted lower limb ranges of motion, thoracic kyphosis, spinopelvic ankylosis, or decrease in muscle strength. It is well known that these factors can have consequences on spatiotemporal gait parameters during walking. However, no study has assessed spatiotemporal gait parameters in patients with axSpA. Divergent results have been obtained in the studies assessing spatiotemporal gait parameters in ankylosing spondylitis, a subgroup of axSpA, which could be partly explained by self-reported pain intensity scores at time of assessment. Inertial measurement units (IMUs) are increasingly popular and may facilitate gait assessment in clinical practice. OBJECTIVE: This study compared spatiotemporal gait parameters assessed with foot-worn IMUs in patients with axSpA and matched healthy individuals without and with pain intensity score as a covariate. METHODS: A total of 30 patients with axSpA and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls performed a 10-m walk test at comfortable speed. Various spatiotemporal gait parameters were computed from foot-worn inertial sensors including gait speed in ms-1 (mean walking velocity), cadence in steps/minute (number of steps in a minute), stride length in m (distance between 2 consecutive footprints of the same foot on the ground), swing time in percentage (portion of the cycle during which the foot is in the air), stance time in percentage (portion of the cycle during which part of the foot touches the ground), and double support time in percentage (portion of the cycle where both feet touch the ground). RESULTS: Age, height, and weight were not significantly different between groups. Self-reported pain intensity was significantly higher in patients with axSpA than healthy controls (P<.001). Independent sample t tests indicated that patients with axSpA presented lower gait speed (P<.001) and cadence (P=.004), shorter stride length (P<.001) and swing time (P<.001), and longer double support time (P<.001) and stance time (P<.001) than healthy controls. When using pain intensity as a covariate, spatiotemporal gait parameters were still significant with patients with axSpA exhibiting lower gait speed (P<.001), shorter stride length (P=.001) and swing time (P<.001), and longer double support time (P<.001) and stance time (P<.001) than matched healthy controls. Interestingly, there were no longer statistically significant between-group differences observed for the cadence (P=.17). CONCLUSIONS: Gait was significantly altered in patients with axSpA with reduced speed, cadence, stride length, and swing time and increased double support and stance time. Taken together, these changes in spatiotemporal gait parameters could be interpreted as the adoption of a so-called cautious gait pattern in patients with axSpA. Among factors that may influence gait in patients with axSpA, patient self-reported pain intensity could play a role. Finally, IMUs allowed computation of spatiotemporal gait parameters and are usable to assess gait in patients with axSpA in clinical routine. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03761212; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03761212. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.1007/s00296-019-04396-4.

Objective Measurements of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Using Wearable Devices in Patients With Axial Spondyloarthritis: Protocol for a Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a subgroup of inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Practicing regular exercise is critical to manage pain and stiffness, reduce disease activity, and improve physical functioning, spinal mobility, and cardiorespiratory function. Accordingly, monitoring physical activity and sedentary behavior in patients with axSpA is relevant for clinical outcomes and disease management. OBJECTIVE: This review aims to determine which wearable devices, assessment methods, and associated metrics are commonly used to quantify physical activity or sedentary behavior in patients with axSpA. METHODS: The PubMed, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), and Cochrane electronic databases will be searched, with no limit on publication date, to identify all the studies matching the inclusion criteria. Only original English-language articles published in a peer-reviewed journal will be included. The search strategy will include a combination of keywords related to the study population, wearable devices, physical activity, and sedentary behavior. We will use the Boolean operators "AND" and "OR" to combine keywords as well as Medical Subject Headings terms. RESULTS: Search strategy was completed in June 2020 with 23 records obtained. Data extraction and synthesis are currently ongoing. Dissemination of study results in peer-reviewed journals is expected at the end of 2021. CONCLUSIONS: This review will provide a comprehensive and detailed synthesis of published studies that examine the use of wearable devices for objective assessment of physical activity and sedentary behavior in patients with axSpA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42020182398; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=182398. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/23359.

Motor tract integrity predicts walking recovery: A diffusion MRI study in subacute stroke.

OBJECTIVE: To identify candidate biomarkers of walking recovery with motor tract integrity measurements using fractional anisotropy (FA) from the corticospinal tract (CST) and alternative motor pathways in patients with moderate to severe subacute stroke. METHODS: Walking recovery was first assessed with generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) with repeated measures of walking scores (WS) over 2 years of follow-up in a longitudinal study of 29 patients with subacute ischemic stroke. Baseline FA measures from the ipsilesional and contralesional CST (i-CST and c-CST), cortico-reticulospinal pathway (i-CRP and c-CRP), and cerebellar peduncles were derived from a 60-direction diffusion MRI sequence on a 3T scanner. We performed correlation tests between WS and FA measures. Third, we investigated using GLMM whether motor tract integrity contributes to predict walking recovery. RESULTS: We observed significant improvements of WS over time with a plateau reached at ≈6 months after stroke. WS significantly correlated with FA measures from i-CST, c-CST, i-CRP, and bilateral cerebellar peduncles. Walking recovery was predicted by FA measures from 3 tracts: i-CST, i-CRP, and contralesional superior cerebellar peduncle (c-SCP). Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) predictors captured 80.5% of the unexplained variance of the model without DTI. CONCLUSIONS: We identified i-CST and alternative motor-related tracts (namely i-CRP and c-SCP) as candidate biomarkers of walking recovery. The role of the SCP in walk recovery may rely on cerebellar nuclei projections to the thalamus, red nucleus, and reticular formation. Our findings suggest that a set of white matter tracts, part of subcortical motor networks, contribute to walking recovery in patients with moderate to severe stroke.

Gait Characteristics in Patients With Ankylosing Spondylitis: Protocol for a Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Ankylosing spondylitis is a subtype of inflammatory rheumatic disease, affecting predominantly the axial skeleton and sacroiliac joints. The main clinical manifestations are spinal stiffness and inflammatory back pain, which can potentially affect gait ability of patients with ankylosing spondylitis. However, published studies show discrepancies regarding gait characteristics in ankylosing spondylitis and heterogeneity in terms of task requirement, types of equipment, data collection, and analysis techniques used to assess gait ability of patients with ankylosing spondylitis. OBJECTIVE: This review aimed to determine (1) the consequences of ankylosing spondylitis on gait and (2) how gait is assessed in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. METHODS: Three electronic databases-PubMed, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), and Cochrane-were searched systematically with no limit on the publication date in order to identify studies satisfying the search criteria. The research focused on original research, using Boolean operators "AND" and "OR" in the combination of the Medical Subject Headings descriptors found in titles or abstracts: (Gait OR Walk OR Walking OR locomotor OR locomotion) AND (ankylosing spondylitis OR spondyloarthritis). Only English-language original articles were included. RESULTS: As of September 2018, the search was completed, and 168 records were obtained. After screening titles and abstracts, 19 full texts were reviewed. Of those, 17 were included in the review. We are currently in the process of data extraction and synthesis. CONCLUSIONS: The systematic review will provide a synthesis and comprehensive evaluation of published studies on gait characteristics in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. This work is also intended to help identify the likely relevant directions for future research. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42018102540; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=102540. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/12470.