VIDEO: Ankylosing spondylitis problems outside the joints strike more women than men

WASHINGTON – Women are almost twice as likely as men to develop extra-articular manifestations of ankylosing spondylitis such as uveitis and inflammatory bowel disease, according to an analysis of patients in the Ankylosing Spondylitis Registry of Ireland.

Each of those manifestations exerts its own difficulties upon patients over and above the inflammatory back pain of the underlying disease, Gillian Fitzgerald, MD, said at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology. Many patients can develop several of these separate manifestations – a circumstance that seriously affects their quality of life.

The findings of the large registry study were a bit surprising, she said during presentation of the study at a press briefing, as ankylosing spondylitis is generally thought to affect largely men. “However, this isn’t the case,” said Dr. Fitzgerald of St. James’s Hospital, Dublin. “Recent studies show that women can be affected as often as men are.”

In light of those findings, Dr. Fitzgerald and her coauthors wanted to further define the gender differences, especially with regard to extra-articular manifestations.

They accessed data on 564 patients in the registry, which was established in 2013. The majority of patients (78%) were men; the mean age was 47 years. Patients had a mean disease duration of nearly 21 years. For almost half that time (9 years) they had remained undiagnosed, Dr. Fitzgerald added. They had a mean age of about 47 years, and 78% fulfilled the modified New York criteria for ankylosing spondylitis.

Overall, extra-articular manifestations were common, with 35% having uveitis, 18% psoriasis, and 10% inflammatory bowel disease.

Uveitis was significantly more common among women (47% vs. 32%) and among those with disease duration of more than 10 years (40% vs. 22% with less than 10 years).

Inflammatory bowel disease was also significantly more common among women (16.5% vs. 8%). It wasn’t related to disease duration, but it was related to elevated baseline C-reactive protein, peptic ulcer disease, and osteoporosis.

In a multivariate regression analysis, women were 70% more likely to experience an extra-articular manifestation of the disease than were men (hazard ratio, 1.7). Having the disease for more than 10 years more than doubled the risk of an extra-articular manifestation (HR, 2.4).

Dr. Fitzgerald discussed the study’s findings in a video interview at the meeting. She had no financial disclosures.

[email protected]

On Twitter @alz_gal

WASHINGTON – Women are almost twice as likely as men to develop extra-articular manifestations of ankylosing spondylitis such as uveitis and inflammatory bowel disease, according to an analysis of patients in the Ankylosing Spondylitis Registry of Ireland.

Each of those manifestations exerts its own difficulties upon patients over and above the inflammatory back pain of the underlying disease, Gillian Fitzgerald, MD, said at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology. Many patients can develop several of these separate manifestations – a circumstance that seriously affects their quality of life.

The findings of the large registry study were a bit surprising, she said during presentation of the study at a press briefing, as ankylosing spondylitis is generally thought to affect largely men. “However, this isn’t the case,” said Dr. Fitzgerald of St. James’s Hospital, Dublin. “Recent studies show that women can be affected as often as men are.”

In light of those findings, Dr. Fitzgerald and her coauthors wanted to further define the gender differences, especially with regard to extra-articular manifestations.

They accessed data on 564 patients in the registry, which was established in 2013. The majority of patients (78%) were men; the mean age was 47 years. Patients had a mean disease duration of nearly 21 years. For almost half that time (9 years) they had remained undiagnosed, Dr. Fitzgerald added. They had a mean age of about 47 years, and 78% fulfilled the modified New York criteria for ankylosing spondylitis.

Overall, extra-articular manifestations were common, with 35% having uveitis, 18% psoriasis, and 10% inflammatory bowel disease.

Uveitis was significantly more common among women (47% vs. 32%) and among those with disease duration of more than 10 years (40% vs. 22% with less than 10 years).

Inflammatory bowel disease was also significantly more common among women (16.5% vs. 8%). It wasn’t related to disease duration, but it was related to elevated baseline C-reactive protein, peptic ulcer disease, and osteoporosis.

In a multivariate regression analysis, women were 70% more likely to experience an extra-articular manifestation of the disease than were men (hazard ratio, 1.7). Having the disease for more than 10 years more than doubled the risk of an extra-articular manifestation (HR, 2.4).

Dr. Fitzgerald discussed the study’s findings in a video interview at the meeting. She had no financial disclosures.

[email protected]

On Twitter @alz_gal

WASHINGTON – Women are almost twice as likely as men to develop extra-articular manifestations of ankylosing spondylitis such as uveitis and inflammatory bowel disease, according to an analysis of patients in the Ankylosing Spondylitis Registry of Ireland.

Each of those manifestations exerts its own difficulties upon patients over and above the inflammatory back pain of the underlying disease, Gillian Fitzgerald, MD, said at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology. Many patients can develop several of these separate manifestations – a circumstance that seriously affects their quality of life.

The findings of the large registry study were a bit surprising, she said during presentation of the study at a press briefing, as ankylosing spondylitis is generally thought to affect largely men. “However, this isn’t the case,” said Dr. Fitzgerald of St. James’s Hospital, Dublin. “Recent studies show that women can be affected as often as men are.”

In light of those findings, Dr. Fitzgerald and her coauthors wanted to further define the gender differences, especially with regard to extra-articular manifestations.

They accessed data on 564 patients in the registry, which was established in 2013. The majority of patients (78%) were men; the mean age was 47 years. Patients had a mean disease duration of nearly 21 years. For almost half that time (9 years) they had remained undiagnosed, Dr. Fitzgerald added. They had a mean age of about 47 years, and 78% fulfilled the modified New York criteria for ankylosing spondylitis.

Overall, extra-articular manifestations were common, with 35% having uveitis, 18% psoriasis, and 10% inflammatory bowel disease.

Uveitis was significantly more common among women (47% vs. 32%) and among those with disease duration of more than 10 years (40% vs. 22% with less than 10 years).

Inflammatory bowel disease was also significantly more common among women (16.5% vs. 8%). It wasn’t related to disease duration, but it was related to elevated baseline C-reactive protein, peptic ulcer disease, and osteoporosis.

In a multivariate regression analysis, women were 70% more likely to experience an extra-articular manifestation of the disease than were men (hazard ratio, 1.7). Having the disease for more than 10 years more than doubled the risk of an extra-articular manifestation (HR, 2.4).

Dr. Fitzgerald discussed the study’s findings in a video interview at the meeting. She had no financial disclosures.

[email protected]

On Twitter @alz_gal