The association between the severity score of the disease and arterial stiffness in patients with axial spondylitis

Abstract

Background and objectives. Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the spine and sacral joints, causing back pain and stiffness. Patients with axSpA have double the cardiovascular risk due to ongoing inflammation, leading to higher morbidity and mortality. Early identification of cardiovascular risks is crucial. This study is aimed to depict the link between disease severity and arterial stiffness in axSpA patients. Materials and methods. This cross-sectional study was conducted from January to March 2023, involving axial spondyloarthritis on patients aged 16–60 years who visited the Rheumatology Outpatient Unit at Dr. Soetomo Hospital and met ASAS criteria. Results. Thirty SpA patients participated, consisting of 7 males (23.3%) and 23 females (76.7%). Ages ranged from 18 to 58, with an average of 43.33 ± 13.32. The age distribution included 2 patients aged 26–35 (6.7%), 7 aged 36–45 (23.3%), 9 aged 46–55 (30.0%), and 6 aged 56–65 (20.0%). Treatment duration revealed that 18 patients (60.0%) had been treated for 1–5 years, while 12 patients (40.0%) had been treated for over 5 years. Conclusions. The study found a predominance of female patients aged 46–55, with no significant differences in mSASSS scores by gender or age. In axSpA patients, a strong correlation was observed between mSASSS scores and arterial stiffness, highlighting the relationship between disease severity and cardiovascular risk.