Differences between females and males in axial spondyloarthritis: data from a real-life cross-sectional cohort

Figures & data

Table 1. Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA): comparison between males and females.

	Total (n = 313)	Male (n = 182)	Female (n = 131)	p
Age (years)	42.9 ± 12.7	43.3 ± 12.4	42.3 ± 13.2	0.471
Disease duration (years)	3.5 (0.6–10.3)	3.8 (0.6–11.7)	2.8 (0.9–7.9)	0.420
Age at disease onset (years)	34.9 ± 13.1	34.4 ± 12.5	35.5 ± 13.8	0.464
Active IBP*	286 (91.4)	166 (91.2)	120 (91.6)	0.902
Arthritis ever	131 (41.9)	74 (40.7)	57 (43.5)	0.614
Dactylitis ever	14/293 (4.8)	8/172 (4.7)	6/121 (5.0)	0.903
Enthesitis ever	124 (39.6)	71 (39)	53 (40.5)	0.796
Uveitis ever	69 (22)	41 (22.5)	28 (21.4)	0.808
IBD ever	36 (11.5)	17 (9.3)	19 (14.5)	0.158
Psoriasis ever	38 (12.1)	22 (12.1)	16 (12.2)	0.973
Family history	112 (35.8)	57 (31.3)	55 (42)	0.052
HLA-B27 positivity	173/297 (58.2)	105/172 (61.0)	68/125 (54.4)	0.251
Fulfil mNY criteria for sacroiliitis	167 (53.7)	116 (63.7)	51 (38.9)	< 0.001
Fulfil ASAS criteria for axSpA	230 (73)	145 (79.7)	85 (64.9)	0.003
BASDAI	4.8 ± 2.2	4.6 ± 2.2	5.2 ± 2.1	0.008
ESR (mm/h)	9 (5–18.8)	8 (3–16)	11 (5–23)	0.008
CRP (mg/L)	3.3 (1–10.1)	3.2 (1.3–9.7)	3.3 (1–10.9)	0.331
ASDAS-CRP	2.7 ± 1.0	2.7 ± 1.0	2.8 ± 1.1	0.212
SJC66 > 0	69 (22)	40 (22)	29 (22)	0.973
TJC68 > 0	143 (45.7)	75 (41.2)	67 (51.1)	0.082
Schober < 4 cm	147/305 (48.2)	91/178 (51.1)	56/127 (44.1)	0.226
Chest expansion < 2.5 cm	23/273 (8.4)	15/159 (9.4)	8/114 (7.0)	0.478
Physician VAS disease activity	43 ± 21.8	44.5 ± 21.9	41.9 ± 21.8	0.329
Patient VAS disease activity	52.3 ± 25.4	49.7 ± 24.9	56.0 ± 25.8	0.032
Use of bDMARDs ever	71 (22.7)	39 (21.4)	32 (24.4)	0.532
Use of cDMARDs ever	112 (35.8)	58 (31.9)	54 (41.2)	0.089
Use of NSAIDs ever	288 (92)	168 (92.3)	120 (91.6)	0.821

Data are presented as mean ± sd, median (interquartile range), or n (%).

IBP, inflammatory back pain; IBD, inflammatory bowel disease; HLA, human leucocyte antigen; mNY, modified new York; ASAS, Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society; BASDAI, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; CRP, C-reactive protein; ASDAS, Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score; SJC66, swollen joint count including 66 joints; TJC68, tender joint count including 68 joints; VAS, visual analogue scale; bDMARD, biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug; cDMARD, conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug; NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.

*Active IBP during study visit.

Table 2. Comparison between human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-B27-positive males and females and between HLA-B27-negative males and females with a clinical diagnosis of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA).

	HLA-B27 positive: male (n = 105)	HLA-B27 positive: female (n = 68)	p	HLA-B27 negative: male (n = 67)	HLA-B27 negative: female (n = 57)	p
Age (years)	41.4 ± 12.5	38.9 ± 12.6	0.254	45.4 ± 11.3	45.1 ± 12.9	0.604
Age at disease onset (years)	30.7 ± 10.6	31.5 ± 11.6	0.634	40.2 ± 12.9	38.8 ± 14.7	0.559
Disease duration (years)	6.1 (1.1–17.9)	3 (1.1–9.3)	0.111	1.5 (0.3–5.8)	2.8 (0.5–7.5)	0.235
Response to NSAID	73/80 (91.3)	46/58 (79.3)	0.045	36/42 (85.7)	36/42 (85.7)	1.000
Active IBP	103 (98.1)	67 (98.5)	0.831	56 (83.5)	50 (87.7)	0.515
Arthritis ever	36 (34.3)	26 (38.2)	0.597	35 (52.2)	26 (45.6)	0.462
Dactylitis ever	2/102 (2.0)	5/66 (7.6)	0.075	5/60 (8.3)	1/50 (2.0)	0.145
Enthesitis ever	34 (32.4)	20 (29.4)	0.681	35 (52.2)	30 (52.6)	0.965
Uveitis ever	34 (32.4)	22 (32.4)	0.997	7 (10.4)	6 (10.5)	0.989
IBD ever	6 (5.7)	4 (5.9)	0.963	9 (13.4)	13 (22.8)	0.173
Psoriasis ever	6 (5.7)	4 (5.9)	0.963	12 (17.9)	8 (14)	0.559
Family history	39 (37.1)	34 (50)	0.094	16 (23.9)	19 (33.3)	0.244
Fulfil mNY criteria for sacroiliitis	78/104 (75.0)	36/68 (52.9)	0.008	30/66 (45.5)	15/57 (26.3)	0.058
BASDAI	4.5 ± 2.1	5.0 ± 2.1	0.114	5.0 ± 2.0	5.5 ± 2.0	0.199
Physician VAS disease activity	42.5 ± 22.4	43.9 ± 23.8	0.689	44.2 ± 19.4	46 ± 19.7	0.628
Patient VAS disease activity	50.7 ± 25.5	53.4 ± 26.7	0.512	51.2 ± 21.9	59.2 ± 24.2	0.061
ESR (mm/h)	8 (2–16)	11 (5–21.3)	0.068	7.5 (3.8–19.3)	11 (5–23.5)	0.116
CRP (mg/L)	3.7 (1–12)	4 (1–11.6)	0.784	2.4 (1.5–9.5)	1.5 (1–10.5)	0.131
ASDAS-CRP	2.7 ± 1.1	2.8 ± 1.0	0.518	2.8 ± 0.9	2.9 ± 1.2	0.661
SJC66 > 0	16 (15.2)	15 (22.1)	0.253	22 (32.9)	12 (21.1)	0.143
TJC68 > 0	39 (37.1)	30 (44.1)	0.360	32 (47.8)	33 (57.9)	0.260
Schober < 4 cm	55/104 (52.9)	22/67 (32.8)	0.010	31/65 (47.7)	30/54 (55.6)	0.393
Chest expansion < 2.5 cm	9/96 (9.4)	4/60 (6.7)	0.552	3/55 (5.5)	3/49 (6.1)	0.884
Use of bDMARDs ever	21 (20)	13 (19.1)	0.887	13 (19.4)	15 (26.3)	0.359
Use of cDMARDs ever	30 (28.6)	23 (33.8)	0.464	23 (34.3)	27 (47.4)	0.140
Use of NSAIDs ever	98 (93.3)	63 (92.6)	0.862	63 (94)	51 (89.5)	0.353

Data are presented as mean ± sd, median (interquartile range), or n (%).

NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug; IBP, inflammatory back pain; IBD; inflammatory bowel disease; mNY, modified New York; BASDAI, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index; VAS, visual analogue scale; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; CRP, C-reactive protein; ASDAS, Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score; SJC66, swollen joint count including 66 joints; TJC68, tender joint count including 68 joints; bDMARD, biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug; cDMARD, conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug.