COMPARISON OF NON-RADIOGRAPHIC SPONDYLOARTHRITIS VERSUS ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS PATIENTS UNDERGOING BIOLOGICAL THERAPY – DATA FROM A ROMANIAN COHORT

• Main Authors: Claudia Deaconu, Daniela Opris, Ruxandra Ionescu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amaltea Medical Publishing House 2016-12-01
• Series: Romanian Journal of Rheumatology
• Subjects: non-radiographic spondyloarthritis; ankylosing spondylitis; anti-tnf therapy; radiographic progression; window of opportunity
• Online Access: https://rjr.com.ro/articles/2016.4/RJR_2016_4_Art-01.pdf

Both non-radiographic spondyloarthritis (nr-SpA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) are medical conditions that belong to the axial spondyloarthritis spectrum; these two terms reveal the extent of sacroiliitis assessed by conventional x-ray or MRI. According to the latest classification criteria (ASAS, 2009), clinicians are able to differentiate patients with nr-SpA from AS and to follow their disease progression. The present study aims to compare the two patient categories undergoing biological therapy with an anti-TNF agent and indicate distinct disease features. We included 94 patients in treatment with IFX, ADL, ETA or GOL and monitored clinical, biological and disease activity parameters. The nr-SpA subgroup included a higher percentage of female patients; AS patients presented higher values of the CRP at follow-up visits; there were no significant differences between the two groups regarding the HLA-B27 presence, uveitis history or smoking status. Patients with an inactive disease status had a lower BMI, shorter disease duration and an early initiation of biological therapy, so that we suggest a close and regular monitoring of these two entities.