The role of disease activity as a determinant of body awareness and central sensitization in patients with axial spondyloarthritis: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of disease activity on body awareness and central sensitization in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). Methods: This cross-sectional study included patients diagnosed with axSpA. Disease activity was evaluated using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), and a score of four or higher was considered high disease activity. Patients were divided into two groups according to BASDAI: high disease activity (BASDAI ≥ 4) group (HG) and the low disease activity (BASDAI0.05). The CSI-A score was higher in HG compared to LG (44 (31-54) vs. 31 (21-41), p=0.008). The HG had poorer BAQ scores than the LG (61 (52-85) vs. 85 (64-96), p=0.017). BASDAI was moderately associated with CSI-A (r=0.145, R2=0.172, p=0.001). No significant correlation was found between BASDAI and BAQ (p=0.167). The results of the simple linear regression analysis suggested that CSI-A explained 17.2% of the disease activity. BASDAI (β = 0.415, p=0.001) significantly predicted central sensitization. BASDAI was strongly correlated with VAS (r=0.665, R2= 0.442, p