The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index was named for the location of the institution (
Bath
Bath may refer to:
* Bathing, immersion in a fluid
** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body
** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe
* Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities
Plac ...
, England) where authors ''A. Calin and co-workers'' developed this
validated index to determine the degree of functional limitation in patients with the
inflammatory autoimmune
In immunology, autoimmunity is the system of immune responses of an organism against its own healthy cells, tissues and other normal body constituents. Any disease resulting from this type of immune response is termed an " autoimmune disease" ...
disease
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a type of arthritis from the disease spectrum of axial spondyloarthritis. It is characterized by long-term inflammation of the joints of the spine, typically where the spine joins the pelvis. With AS, eye and bow ...
(AS). These researchers recognized that although treatment for AS is focused on pain control and the improvement of function, the available methods of assessing function were not specific to AS and were inadequately validated. In their seminal 1994 publication, Calin and his associates stated that
"after pain and stiffness (measured by the
BASDAI test), one of the most important complaints of patients with AS is disability."(Calin et al., 1994, p 2281).
The ten questions that comprise the BASFI were chosen with input from patients with AS. The first 8 questions evaluate activities related to functional
anatomical
Anatomy () is the branch of morphology concerned with the study of the internal structure of organisms and their parts. Anatomy is a branch of natural science that deals with the structural organization of living things. It is an old scien ...
limitations due to the course of this inflammatory disease. The final 2 questions evaluate the patients’ ability to cope with everyday life.
The Questions on the BASFI
1. Putting on your socks or tights without help or aids (e.g. sock aids)?
2. Bending forward from the waist to pick up a pen from the floor without an aid?
3. Reaching up to a high shelf without help or aids (e.g. helping hand)?
4. Getting up from an armless chair without using your hands or any other help?
5. Getting up off the floor without any help from lying on your back?
6. Standing unsupported for 10 minutes without discomfort?
7. Climbing 12-15 steps without using a handrail or walking aid (one foot on each step)?
8. Looking over your shoulder without turning your body?
9. Doing physically demanding activities (e.g. physiotherapy exercises, gardening or sports)?
10. Doing a full day activities whether it be at home or work?
A
visual analogue scale
The visual analogue scale (VAS) is a psychometric response scale that can be used in questionnaires. It is a measurement instrument for subjective characteristics or attitudes that cannot be directly measured. When responding to a VAS item, respond ...
(with 0 being "easy" and 10 "impossible) is used to answer the questions on the test. The authors stated that this range of scoring improves both the sensitivity of the index to change in the state of the disease and improves the test's capacity to elicit a range of responses across the entire scale (Calin et al., 1994).
The mean of the ten scales gives the BASFI score – a value between 0 and 10.
References
Calin et al. J Rheumatol 1994 21; 2281-85 BASFI Written Test (PDF)Automated BASFI TestOnline BASFI Calculator
Medical tests