Clinical Research Directory

Inclusion Criteria: * treatment-naïve patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), who fulfilled the Assessment of Spondylarthritis Society (ASAS) criteria for axial spondyloarthritis (ax-SpA) * Inclusion criterion for the second group (non-AS individuals) was patients complaining of discomfort upon activity. Exclusion Criteria: * The exclusion criteria of the first group included: 1. patients with a history of local trauma 2. and/or surgical intervention, 3. neuromascular deficits, 4. chronic chest disease and 5. other inflammatory autoimmune/rheumatologic conditions. * Exclusion criteria for the second group were: 1. a history of AS or 2. other systemic autoimmune/ rheumatologic disease.