269 In axial spondyloarthritis, magnitude of improved disease activity after six months of biologic disease-modifying treatment may be more relevant to short-term functional outcome than achieving an inactive disease state

Abstract

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is characterised by inflammation of sacro-iliac and peripheral joints, entheses and extra-articular manifestations; leading to damage, spinal immobility and global disability. Previous studies have evaluated the effects of disease activity, systemic inflammation, structural damage and the influence of biologic disease-modifying therapy (bDMARD) on these outcomes. Our aims were to evaluate whether achieving low levels of clinical and biochemical inflammation after the first six months of bDMARD were correlated with improved functional outcome.