Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Uluslararasi Katilimli Turk Romatoloji Kongresi 2020, Antalya, Türkiye, 25 - 29 Mart 2020, ss.73
sacroiliac joints in the early stages affects the axial spine as the disease progresses, and the life quality of patient generally worsens.
The most common symptoms are chronic low back pain and subsequent stiffness. Symptoms may be permanent or may persist for
years. As the disease progresses, skeletal and non-skeletal symptoms increase, severe deformities and physical limitations emerge,
and these symptoms lead to patient not to participate the physical activities in the ongoing period. In the advanced stages, because
of increased postural disorders and kyphosis and decreased thoracic enlargement both respiratory functions and postural control
mechanisms are altered. After all, patients may become sedentary or even immobile.
It has been reported that employment in patients with AS is lower than the general population due to physical limitations and comorbid
conditions. Patients working with AS may experience more sick leave, disruption to current jobs, and job losses compared to
the general population. Treatment with anti-TNF-α drugs help the improvement of symptoms in the majority of patients. This study
aimed to investigate whether AS patients using anti-TNF-α drugs had a change in their work lives due to the disease.
MATERIALS-METHODS: Seventy-two patients with AS admitted to our outpatient clinic who had been using anti-TNF-α drugs were
included to the study. Demographic characteristics and HLA B27 positivity test results were recorded. The professions that patients
performed before and after the diagnosis were questioned. These professions were classified by the characteristics of work based
on the required physical power and physical activity as follows:
1. Seated
2. Seated and standing
3. Standing and walking
4. Walking and tiring work
5. Not working or retired
Disease-related changes in patients’ work was questioned. These changes were interpreted as the positive and negative effects of
the disease.
RESULTS: Mean age of all patients (n=72) was 35,81±9,12 years, female patients (n=17) was 34,71±9,72 years and male patients
(n=55) was 36,15±8,99 years. There was no significant difference in terms of age between female and male patients (p=0,573). Mean
disease duration of all patients was 8,96±5,94 years. HLA B27 positivity was determined in 58 patients (80,6 %). 30 patients (41,6%)
had been doing regular exercise. All patients had been using anti-TNF-α drugs (etanercept, adalimumab, infliximab, golimumab).
Results of working status of patients are summarized in Table 1. Negative effect of disease on working status was determined in 4
patients (5,55%) and positive effect of disease on working status was determined in 12 patients (16,64%).
CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that anti-TNF treatment has positive effect on working performance in patients with AS. Imroving
the treatment compliance of patients should be an important goal for physicians.
KEYWORDS: ankylosing spondylitis, anti-TNF-α drugs, working