From: Rheumatology International, April 2004

It has been established that AS can cause decreased chest expansion, thus compromising lung function. In addition, a study by the VA Palo Alto Health Care System has shown that smoking is associated with a more rapid progression of the disease as well as the progression of functional disability.

So how does smoking effect the activity level and ability to function in those with AS? A recent study by the Trakya University School of Medicine set out to answer that question by evaluating the physical activity level in 48 patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis, 24 who smoked and 24 who didn’t.

Many people with AS may not be familiar with the Bath Ankylosing Disease Activities Index (BASDAI) and the Bath Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI). Each are a survey of sorts, in which patients simply rate how much pain, swelling and stiffness they are in (BASDAI) or what range of motion they have/how easy it is to accomplish simple physical tasks (BASFI). By allowing a patient to fill out these two simple indices, a doctor can get an idea of disease activity as well as the ability of a patient to function physically. In this study of smokers with AS, researches used the BASDAI and BASFI to evaluate how smoking effects disease activity and functional impairment, respectively.

It was found that smokers with AS have significantly higher BASDAI scores (implying more pain, swelling and stiffness) as well as lower BASFI scores (implying less ability to function physically). Thus, the study concluded that smoking is associated with functional impairment and physical incapacity in those with AS.

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