Clinical and radiographic features of adult-onset ankylosing spondylitis in Korean patients: comparisons between males and females.
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.
Jung
Young-Ok
YO
Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
Inje
I
Kim
Suho
S
Suh
Chang-Hee
CH
Park
Han Jung
HJ
Park
Won
W
Kwon
Seoung Ryul
SR
Jeong
Jae Cheon
JC
Lee
Yun Jong
YJ
Ryu
Hee Jung
HJ
Park
Young Bae
YB
Lee
Jisoo
J
Lee
You-Hyun
YH
Seo
Young Il
YI
Chung
Won Tae
WT
Hong
Seung-Jae
SJ
Hong
Yeon-Sik
YS
Baek
Han Joo
HJ
Choi
Hyo Jin
HJ
Kang
Hyo-Jong
HJ
Lee
Chan-Hee
CH
Kim
Sang-Hyon
SH
Kim
Hyun Ah
HA
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*
D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen