Demographic, clinical and imaging characteristics of axial spondyloarthritis patients

Background

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory disorder involving the sacroiliac (SI) joints, spine, entheses and peripheral joints. It encompasses both radiographic (r-axSPA) and non-radiographic (nr-axSPA) axial SpA according to the presence or absence of radiographic sacroiliitis.

Aim of the work

To study the demographic features, clinical manifestations and imaging characteristics of axSpA and to assess the differences between r-axSpA and nr-axSpA.

Patients and methods

This study was conducted on 80 axSpA patients. All Patients were subjected to detailed medical history, assessment of disease activity, functional status, laboratory investigations and imaging.Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), AS disease activity score (ASDAS), Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI) were assessed. Radiographic sacroiliitis was assessed using the Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spinal Score (mSASSS).

Results

The 80 axSpA patients were 59 (73.8 %) nr-axSpA and 21 (26.3 %) with r-axSpA. The mean age of the patients was 35 ± 8.6 (18–55 years). 43 (53.8 %) were males and 37 (46.3 %) females and the median disease duration was 6.5 years (0.5–22 years). Human leucocytic antigen was positive in 16.3 % and psoriasis was present in 13.8 %. Smoking (61.9 % vs 20.3 %; p < 0.0001, hip arthritis (47.6 % vs 13.6 %;p = 0.001), ASDAS (3.03 ± 0.64 vs 2.59 ± 0.79; p = 0.02), BASDAI (3.4 ± 1.1 vs 2.7 ± 1.3;p = 0.03), BASFI (4.7 ± 1.1 vs 3.1 ± 1.3; p < 0.0001) and mSASSS (17 vs 0) were significantly higher in r-axSpA.

Conclusion

Characteristics of axSpA of Egyptian patients are comparable with those of other patients across the world. By comparing r-axSpA and nr-axSPA patients, both groups are significantly different regarding sex, smoking, hip arthritis, disease activity scores and mSASSS.