Increased disease activity is associated with a deteriorated lipid profile in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.
BACKGROUND
Cardiovascular mortality is increased in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. A possible explanation might be a more prevalent atherogenic lipid profile in patients with ankylosing spondylitis than in the general population. It has been postulated that inflammation deteriorates the lipid profile, thereby increasing cardiovascular risk.


OBJECTIVE
To explore the association between disease activity and lipid profile in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.


METHODS
Disease activity parameters for ankylosing spondylitis and lipid levels (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc) and triglycerides) were measured in 45 patients with ankylosing spondylitis for 6 months after starting treatment with leflunomide or placebo. Findings in this treatment group were compared with those in 10 patients with ankylosing spondylitis treated with etanercept. A specialised regression model, adjusting for repeated measurements, age and sex, was used to assess the influence of the disease activity variables on the lipid levels.


RESULTS
Multilevel regression analyses showed significant associations between disease activity parameters and lipid levels-for instance, an increase of 30 mm at the end of the first hour in erythrocyte sedimentation rate was associated with a decrease of about 6% in total cholesterol level and a decrease of about 11% in HDLc levels. Similar significant associations were found between other disease activity parameters and lipid levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Increase in disease activity was associated with decreases in lipid levels. The decrease in HDLc levels tended to be almost twice as large as the decrease in total cholesterol levels, resulting in a more atherogenic lipid profile. Hence, effective treatment of disease activity in patients with ankylosing spondylitis may lower the cardiovascular risk by improving the lipid profile.
van Halm
V P
VP
Department of Rheumatology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
van Denderen
J C
JC
Peters
M J L
MJ
Twisk
J W R
JW
van der Paardt
M
M
van der Horst-Bruinsma
I E
IE
van de Stadt
R J
RJ
de Koning
M H M T
MH
Dijkmans
B A C
BA
Nurmohamed
M T
MT
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D000068800:Etanercept; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007555:Isoxazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077339:Leflunomide; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007555:Isoxazoles; D008055:Lipids; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014280:Triglycerides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002784:Cholesterol; D000077339:Leflunomide; D000068800:Etanercept