Sthenia, ambition and educational level in patients suffering from ankylosing spondylitis: a controlled study of personality features as compared to rheumatoid arthritis and unspecified low back pain.

As compared to control-groups of rheumatoid arthritis and chronic non-inflammatory low back pain, over a hundred polyclinical patients suffering from ankylosing spondylitis were assessed with respect to several personality characteristics by psychological testing and proved to be relatively sthenic and educated. In trying to explain these personality features some disease-related factors seem to be relevant in ankylosing spondylitis: a relatively mild course of disease, the relief of complaints by exercise and a long pre-diagnostic period.