Skip to main content
PMC home page
Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases logoLink to Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
. 1990 Nov;49(11):921–925. doi: 10.1136/ard.49.11.921

Relation between chest expansion, pulmonary function, and exercise tolerance in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

L R Fisher 1, M I Cawley 1, S T Holgate 1
PMCID: PMC1004263  PMID: 2256739

Abstract

Thirty three patients with definite ankylosing spondylitis (AS) were examined to establish the relation between restriction of chest expansion, limitation of lung function, and working capacity or exercise tolerance. As in previous studies there was a significant association between chest expansion and lung vital capacity. There was also a significant association between vital capacity and exercise tolerance as measured by a subject's maximum oxygen capacity (VO2max). Both vital capacity and VO2max were expressed as a percentage of predicted normal values using patients' height before disease. In this study chest expansion did not have a significant effect on exercise tolerance. The results suggested that patients who took a modest amount of exercise regularly could maintain a satisfactory work capacity despite very restricted spinal and chest wall mobility. It is recommended that greater emphasis should be given to encouraging patients with AS to maintain cardiorespiratory fitness as well as spinal mobility.

Full text

PDF
923

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Anderson S. D., Bye P. T. Exercise testing in the evaluation of diffuse interstitial lung disease. Aust N Z J Med. 1984 Oct;14(5 Suppl 3):762–768. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Beals C. A., Lampman R. M., Banwell B. F., Braunstein E. M., Albers J. W., Castor C. W. Measurement of exercise tolerance in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. J Rheumatol. 1985 Jun;12(3):458–461. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Branthwaite M. A. Cardiorespiratory consequences of unfused idiopathic scoliosis. Br J Dis Chest. 1986 Oct;80(4):360–369. doi: 10.1016/0007-0971(86)90089-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Connolly C. K. A simple method of exercise testing patients with ventilatory impairment on the bicycle ergometer. Respiration. 1985;47(2):114–119. doi: 10.1159/000194757. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Feltelius N., Hedenström H., Hillerdal G., Hällgren R. Pulmonary involvement in ankylosing spondylitis. Ann Rheum Dis. 1986 Sep;45(9):736–740. doi: 10.1136/ard.45.9.736. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Grassino A., Gross D., Macklem P. T., Roussos C., Zagelbaum G. Inspiratory muscle fatigue as a factor limiting exercise. Bull Eur Physiopathol Respir. 1979 Jan-Feb;15(1):105–115. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. HART F. D., BOGDANOVITCH A., NICHOL W. D. The thorax in ankylosing spondylitis. Ann Rheum Dis. 1950 Jun;9(2):116–131. doi: 10.1136/ard.9.2.116. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. HART F. D., EMERSON P. A., GREGG I. Thorax in ankylosing spondylitis. Ann Rheum Dis. 1963 Jan;22:11–18. doi: 10.1136/ard.22.1.11. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Jones N. L., Makrides L., Hitchcock C., Chypchar T., McCartney N. Normal standards for an incremental progressive cycle ergometer test. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1985 May;131(5):700–708. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1985.131.5.700. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Josenhans W. T., Wang C. S., Josenhans G., Woodbury J. F. Diaphragmatic contribution to ventilation in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Respiration. 1971;28(4):331–346. doi: 10.1159/000192822. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Moll J. M., Wright V. An objective clinical study of chest expansion. Ann Rheum Dis. 1972 Jan;31(1):1–8. doi: 10.1136/ard.31.1.1. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Parkin A., Robinson P. J., Hickling P. Regional lung ventilation in ankylosing spondylitis. Br J Radiol. 1982 Nov;55(659):833–836. doi: 10.1259/0007-1285-55-659-833. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Reynolds P. M. Measurement of spinal mobility: a comparison of three methods. Rheumatol Rehabil. 1975 Aug;14(3):180–185. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/14.3.180. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Rosenow E., Strimlan C. V., Muhm J. R., Ferguson R. H. Pleuropulmonary manifestations of ankylosing spondylitis. Mayo Clin Proc. 1977 Oct;52(10):641–649. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Spiro S. G. Exercise testing in clinical medicine. Br J Dis Chest. 1977 Jul;71(3):145–172. doi: 10.1016/0007-0971(77)90106-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Sturrock R. D., Wojtulewski J. A., Hart F. D. Spondylometry in a normal population and in ankylosing spondylitis. Rheumatol Rehabil. 1973 Aug;12(3):135–142. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/12.3.135. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES