Background Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a rheumatic disease that affects patients in a biopsychosocial framework due to its chronic inflammatory nature. It is known that anti-TNF therapy is given to patients with persistently high disease activity despite conventional treatments according to the ASAS recommendations [1].

Objectives The aim of this study was to examine the factors associated with the biopsychosocial status of patients with AS who were decided to be treated with anti-TNF therapy for the first time.

Methods 76 AS patients who were decided to treated with anti-TNF therapy included in the study. Socio-demographic informations of patients were collected. The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) values were recorded for disease activity levels. Biopsychosocial status of the patients was evaluated by the BETY-Biopsychosocial Questionnaire (BETY-BQ). The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) were used to assess functional and and daily living activities. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to assess anxiety and depression levels.

Results The mean age of the patients was 39.99 ± 10.0 years. The mean BASDAI scores indicated active disease and were 5.98 ± 1.78. There was a statistically significant moderate correlation between the BETY and the anxiety and depression subscales of HADS and BASDAI, in the positive direction (r= 0.692, p <0.001 and r= 0.685, p <0.001 and r= 0.552, p <0.001). A statistically significant, strong correlation was found between the BETY, HAQ and BASFI scores in the positive direction (r= 0.834, p <0.001 and r= 0.747, p <0.001) (Table 1). It was observed that patients showed anxiety and depression characteristics according to HADS cut-off values (>10 and >7).

Conclusion It was concluded that the biopsychosocial status of anti-TNF naive patients with AS was affected by anxiety-depression levels, functionality, and disease activity score. In addition to anti-TNF therapy, it was interpreted that the treatment of biopsychosocial characteristics of patients should also be taken into consideration in disease management.

Reference [1] Braun Jv, Van Den Berg R, Baraliakos X, Boehm H, Burgos-Vargas R, Collantes-Estevez E, et al. 2010 update of the ASAS/EULAR recommendations for the management of ankylosing spondylitis. Annals of the rheumatic diseases. 2011;70(6):896-904.

Acknowledgements: NIL.

Disclosure of Interests None Declared.