The Effect of Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program on Work Productivity and
Clinical Parameters in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis
Abstract
Objectives: The objective of the present study was to investigate the
effect of the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program on work productivity,
disease activity, functional status, quality of life, Respiratory
Function Tests (RFTs), physical capacity,and depression in Ankylosing
Spondylitis (AS) patients. Method: Twenty-five patients diagnosed with
AS were included in the study. The disease severity was evaluated with
Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), functional
status was evaluated with Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index
(BASFI), and quality of life was evaluated with AS-Related Quality of
Life scale (ASQOL). Physical capacity was evaluated with the 6-Minute
Walking Test (6MWT), depression level was evaluated with Beck Depression
Scale (BDS),and work productivity was evaluated with Spondyloartropathy
Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI-SpA) Survey. RFT was
evaluated with spirometry measurement. The patients were included in the
Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program for 8 weeks. Results: A total of 30%
of the patients who were included in the study were unemployed; 35% of
them were on and below hunger limit; 25% were on and below poverty
line; and 40% were on normal income line. No significant changes were
detected in the RFTs after the exercise program in AS patients (p
> 0.05), but significantly improvements were detected in
the BASDAI, BASFI, WPAI, 6MWT, ASQOL and BDS scales (p
<0.001). Conclusion: Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program was
found to be an effective method of improving work productivity in AS
patients. Also, the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program has positive
effects on disease activity, functional status, physical capacity,
depression level, and quality of life.