Clinical Use of Chest Expansion Corrected for Age and Sex in Patients

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate if the chest expansion corrected by age and sex was appropriate for clinical practice or not and to evaluate the relation of chest expansion with pulmonary functions and disease severity in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Metarials and Methods: Eighty-two patients with AS and 42 healthy controls were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups according to chest expansion corrected by age and sex: restricted and non-restricted groups. Additional to the clinical evaluation, the Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI), and Bath AS Metrology Index (BASMI) were used to evaluate disease activity functional impairment, and mobility respectively.

Results: Forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in the first second were significantly decreased in the restricted group when compared to the non-restricted and control groups. Pain, BASFI, and BASMI scores were significantly higher in the restricted group compared to the non-restricted one. Chest expansion was significantly correlated with clinical parameters and pulmonary function tests.

Conclusion: Chest expansion measurement corrected for age and sex is appropriate for clinical practice and chest expansion is associated with pulmonary functions and disease severity. Turk J Phys Med Rehab 2011;57:128-33.

C1 [Durmus, Bekir; Altay, Zuhal; Baysal, Ozlem; Ersoy, Yuksel; Dogan, Erdal] Inonu Univ, Tip Fak, Fiziksel Tip & Rehabil Anabilim Dali, TR-44280 Malatya, Turkey.

[Hacievliyagil, Suleyman Savas; Aytemur, Zeynep Ayfer] Inonu Univ, Tip Fak, Gogus Hastaliklari Anabilim Dali, TR-44280 Malatya, Turkey.

[Baysal, Tamer] Inonu Univ, Tip Fak, Radyol Anabilim Dali, TR-44280 Malatya, Turkey.