Quality of life in ankylosing spondylitis: validation of the ankylosing spondylitis Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2, a modified Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales Questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a questionnaire measuring quality of life in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). METHODS: A focus group technique contributed to the generation of an AS-specific questionnaire using the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2 (AIMS2) (12 dimensions), supplemented with items from the Health Assessment Questionnaire for the Spondylar-thropathies, as well as original new items. Patients from a self-help group provided data to assess the validity (n = 146) and reproducibility (n = 43) of the AS-AIMS2. RESULTS: The focus group generated a thirteenth dimension including 6 items labeled "spine mobility." Principal component analyses on AS-AIMS2 showed satisfactory dimensionality (74.1% of variance explained), high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.78-0.91), significant convergent validity of the new dimension with spine pain and mobility, and good reproducibility in the 13 dimensions and 5 components (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.7-0.9). The scores in each component of the AS-AIMS2 showed a marked deterioration of quality of life in these young patients. CONCLUSIONS: The disease-specific AS-AIMS2 questionnaire should help improve care management in AS.

Is quality of life affected by season and weather conditions in ankylosing spondylitis?

OBJECTIVE: To examine the links between the quality of life (QOL) and season and weather conditions in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients. METHODS: A cohort of 146 AS patients (67% males), with a mean age of 47.3 years and a mean disease duration of 12.8 years, answered a self-administered questionnaire, the AS-AIMS2 validated for AS, 4 times over a period of one year in a postal survey. Clinical measures were assessed in a subsample of the cohort. Meterological data including daily temperature, hygrometry, wind speed and atmospheric pressure were collected over the same period. RESULTS: In this cohort, 106 patients completed the follow-up. A higher lumbar spine flexibility (Schober index) was associated with a higher climatic temperature and lower wind speed. Physical QOL improved in the summer, as did Social Interaction in the summer and fall, while Role QOL decreased in winter. A lower perceived QOL was significantly associated with a higher temperature and wind speed over the past 4 weeks, and with a higher hygrometry and atmospheric pressure over the past 2 days prior to completion of the questionnaire. CONCLUSION: This study provides some support to the popular belief and frequent patient complaints of a link between health status and perceived quality of life, as assessed by a specific questionnaire, with season and weather conditions.