Quality of life in patients with ankylosing spondylitis with anemic syndrome assessed according to the ASQoL questionnaire, the relationship with the course of the disease

Introduction. Anemia, as a frequent comorbid pathology, increases the severity of the course, reduces the quality of life (QoL), and worsens the prognosis in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). However, studies examining the impact of anemia on the course of the disease and QoL assessed using the ASQoL questionnaire are currently insufficient. The purpose was to analyze the QoL indices according to the ASQoL questionnaire in AS patients with anemia and to evaluate its dependence on gender, as well as the form and course of the disease. Materials and me­thods. 118 patients with AS and 26 practically healthy subjects, representative of age and gender, had been examined. QoL index was assessed using the ASQoL questionnaire. Results. QoL index in AS patients according to the ASQoL questionnaire was 8.96 ± 0.41 points. In AS patients with anemic syndrome, the QoL parameter was 11.85 ± 0.74 points, QoL index in AS patients without anemia was 7.88 ± 0.44 points. Patients with a peripheral form of AS and anemia have worse QoL index according to ASQoL scores (12.13 ± 0.94), compared to the subjects with a central form of AS and anemia (10.42 ± 1.21). Also, the worst indices of QoL were established in patients with anemia of chronic disease (ACD) (16.27 ± 0,44) and ACD with iron deficiency (11.50 ± 0.92). In the subjects with iron deficiency anemia (IDA), the indices of QoL did not significantly differ from parameters of the patients without anemia (7.16 ± 0.52). Disease activity and the presence of anemic syndrome have a reliable (p < 0.05) direct correlation (IL-6: r = 0.62; CRP: r = 0.68; BASDAI: r = 0.5; ASDAS: r = 0.25) with deterioration of QoL index according to ASQoL. Conclusions. Аnemia is a frequent comorbid pathology in patients with AS and worsens the QoL indices of the patients. The degree and pathogenetic type of anemia (in particular, ACD) is closely correlated with the lower QoL index of patients with AS.