Symptomatic improvement in function and disease activity in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis utilizing a course of chiropractic therapy: a prospective case study.

BACKGROUND There is limited outcome measure support for chiropractic manipulative therapy in the management of ankylosing spondylitis. An improvement in specific indices for both function and disease activity during chiropractic therapy for ankylosing spondylitis has not previously been reported. OBJECTIVE To measure changes in function and disease activity in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis during a course of chiropractic therapy. The clinical management of ankylosing spondylitis, including chiropractic manipulative therapy and the implications of this case study are discussed. CLINICAL FEATURES A 34-year-old male with a 10 year diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis sought chiropractic treatment for spinal pain and stiffness. His advanced radiographic signs included an increased atlantodental interspace and cervical vertebral ankylosis. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), finger-tip-to-floor distance and chest expansion were assessed during an 18 week course of chiropractic spinal manipulation and mobilization therapy. There was a 90% improvement in the disease activity index and an 85% improvement in the functional index from the pre-treatment baseline, as measured by the BASDAI and BASFI respectively. Spinal flexibility and chest expansion also improved. CONCLUSION To the authors knowledge this is the first study to incorporate ankylosing spondylitis specific indices, for both disease activity and function, to objectively support the use of chiropractic manipulative therapy in the management of ankylosing spondylitis. More intensive research is suggested.