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Introduction/Objective: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is usually seen in among younger person of working age and carries a significant economic burden. It was aimed to explore the relation of work instability with fatigue, depression, and anxiety in working AS patients comparing with healthy controls.Method: This case-control study was conducted on working 61 AS patients and 40 sex-age-matched working healthy controls. The data were collected using Visual analogue scale-pain, Bath AS Disease Activity Index, Bath AS Functional Index, Bath AS Metrology Index in patients; and Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue, AS Work Instability Scale in all participants. Data were analyzed by SPSS, using chi-squared test, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Spearman correlation analysis, and multivariate linear regression analysis.Results: Depression, fatigue, and work instability scores were significantly higher in patients than controls (p < 0.05). Clinical parameters (except spinal mobility) showed a significant worsening across the levels of work instability in patients (p < 0.05) and work instability scores were positively correlated with all clinical parameters except spinal mobility (p < 0.001). There was a weak correlation between work instability and spinal mobility (p < 0.05). Fatigue (p < 0.001), pain, and functional capacity scores (p < 0.05) were found to be influential variables on work instability scores.Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrated that fatigue and depressive symptoms had negative effect on work instability beside pain, disease activity, and functionality in patients with AS. The recognition and improvement of fatigue and depression may lead to reduced risk of job loss in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexuality is an important part of healthy life. Patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) may be vulnerable to sexual problems because of disease activity and comorbid emotional problems. However, sexuality is a scarcely studied subject in AS. The aim of this study is to compare patients with AS with healthy control. A total of 43 male patients, who referred to the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of the Karadeniz Technical University Farabi Hospital between May 2010 and July 2010, and were diagnosed as AS according to modified New York criteria, were included in the study. Control group consisted of healthy 43 age- and sex-matched male individuals with normal inflammatory levels. The AS patients were compared in means of sociodemographic variables and sexual function with Glombok-Rust Sexual Satisfaction Scale (GRSSS) and clinical interview. Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were used to determine anxiety and depression levels, respectively. The disease activity and functional conditions were evaluated with the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI) and the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDI). A total of 43 patients with AS and 43 healthy heterosexual male were included in the study. The total GRSSS score was significantly higher in patients with AS, whereas they also had significantly higher sexual complaint than healthy control. The diagnosis of sexual dysfunction according to DSM-IV was significantly higher in the patients with AS as well as depression and anxiety. In study group, GRSSS total score was modestly correlated with disease activity. The psychological status had close relation with sexual functions in AS. Overall assessment is required for complete evaluation in patients with AS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]