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The Effect of Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program on Work Productivity and Clinical Parameters in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis
  • Mazlum Serdar Akaltun,
  • Ozlem Altindag,
  • Ali Gur
Mazlum Serdar Akaltun
Gaziantep Universitesi

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Ozlem Altindag
Gaziantep University
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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.
08 Dec 2020Submitted to International Journal of Clinical Practice
09 Dec 2020Submission Checks Completed
09 Dec 2020Assigned to Editor
13 Dec 2020Reviewer(s) Assigned
09 Feb 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
06 Mar 20211st Revision Received
08 Mar 2021Submission Checks Completed
08 Mar 2021Assigned to Editor
09 Mar 2021Reviewer(s) Assigned
21 Mar 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
27 Mar 20212nd Revision Received
29 Mar 2021Submission Checks Completed
29 Mar 2021Assigned to Editor
14 Apr 2021Reviewer(s) Assigned
18 Apr 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
26 Apr 2021Editorial Decision: Accept