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==Overview==
The '''BASDAI''' is important because it is a [[validated]] diagnostic test which allows a physician (usually a [[rheumatologist]]) to determine the effectiveness of a current drug therapy, or the need to institute a new drug therapy for the treatment of [[ankylosing spondylitis]]. The BASDAI consists of a one through 10 scale (one being no problem and 10 being the worst problem) in response to 6 questions pertaining to the 5 major symptoms of AS:

Fatigue 
Spinal pain 
Joint pain / swelling 
Areas of localized tenderness (also called [[enthesitis]], or inflammation of [[tendons]] and ligaments) 
Morning stiffness duration 
Morning stiffness severity 

To give each symptom equal weighting, the average of the two scores relating to morning stiffness is taken. The resulting 0 to 50 score is divided by 5 to give a final 0 – 10 BASDAI score. Scores of 4 or greater suggest suboptimal control of disease, and patients with scores of 4 or greater are usually good candidates for either a change in their medical therapy, eligible for treatment with powerful biologic therapies such as [[etanercept]], [[infliximab]] and [[adalimumab]], or may be eligible for enrollment in clinical trials evaluating new drug therapies directed at Ankylosing Spondylitis.  

== History ==
''Garrett and coworkers'' writing in the [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=7699630 Journal of Rheumatology in December 1994] described a self-administered 6-question measurement tool which was to become the gold standard for measuring and evaluating disease activity in [[Ankylosing Spondylitis]] (AS).  This [[validated]] tool is the BASDAI, or the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index. A research team consisting of [[rheumatologist]]s, physiotherapists, and research associates with a special interest in AS developed the index in Bath, [[England]], hence the reason for "Bath" in the name. 
 
== Validation ==
BASDAI is a quick and simple index (taking between 30 secs and 2 mins to complete) 
BASDAI demonstrated statistically significant (p<0.001) reliability. 
BASDAI encorporates a reasonable scale. The individual symptoms and the index as a whole demonstrated good score distribution, using 95% of the scale. 
BASDAI demonstrates a sensitivity to change within a short period of time. Following a 3 week physiotherapy course, the BASDAI showed a significant (p=0.009) 16.4% score improvement.

== Tools and references == 
* [http://www.BASDAI.com BASDAI automated calculation tool]

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[[Category:Medical tests]]
[[Category:Rheumatology]]

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