title: Clinical and radiographic features of adult-onset ankylosing spondylitis in Korean patients: comparisons between males and females.
abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate clinical and radiographic features and gender differences in Korean patients with adult-onset ankylosing spondylitis. Multicenter cross-sectional studies were conducted in the rheumatology clinics of 13 Korean tertiary referral hospitals. All patients had a confirmed diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis according to the modified New York criteria. Clinical, laboratory, and radiographic features were evaluated and disease activities were assessed using the Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index. Five hundred and five patients were recruited. The male to female ratio was 6.1:1. Average age at symptom onset was 25.4+/-8.9 yr and average disease duration was 9.6+/-6.8 yr. Males manifested symptoms at a significantly earlier age. HLA-B27 was more frequently positive in males. Hips were more commonly affected in males, and knees in females. When spinal mobility was measured using tragus-to-wall distance and the modified Schober's test, females had significantly better results. Radiographic spinal changes, including bamboo spine and syndesmophytes, were more common in males after adjustment of confounding factors. In conclusion, we observed significant gender differences in radiographic spinal involvement as well as other clinical manifestations among Korea patients with adult-onset ankylosing spondylitis. These findings may influence the timing of the diagnosis and the choice of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Ok
authors.initials: YO
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Inje
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Suho
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chang-Hee
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Han Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Won
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Seoung Ryul
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Jae Cheon
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Yun Jong
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hee Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Young Bae
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jisoo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: You-Hyun
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young Il
authors.initials: YI
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Won Tae
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Seung-Jae
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Yeon-Sik
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Han Joo
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.forename: Hyo Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Hyo-Jong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Chan-Hee
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sang-Hyon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyun Ah
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D044466:Asian People; D005260:Female; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen; D006801:Humans; D007596:Joints / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen