Disease Activity and Patient-Reported Health Measures in Relation to Cytokine Levels in Ankylosing Spondylitis

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a lifelong condition where spinal inflammation causes chronic back pain and restriction of spinal function. While proinflammatory cytokines participate in the disease process, their relation with disease activity, spinal function, and quality of life is less well understood. Methods Cross-sectional study of serum levels of four inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF, IL-23, and IL-17A) in AS patients not on biologics. Disease characteristics and simultaneous spinal function tests and patient-reported health measures (Bath Functional Index (BASFI), Dougados Functional Index (DFI), Modified Health Assessment Questionnaire (MHAQ), and routine laboratory parameters were recorded. The composite ASDAS-CRP score was used to classify disease activity as absent, low, or high. Results In 164 AS patients (age 46 years, 70.1% males, 90.9% HLAB27 positive, ASDAS-CRP 1.8), disease activity was classified as inactive in 14%, low in 54%, and high in 31%. ASDAS-CRP correlated well with MHAQ, DFI, BASFI, and spinal mobility across patients with low and high disease activity (all p 0.2). Conclusions A large proportion of AS not on biologics have active disease far into the disease course. This impacts negatively on quality of life, work ability, and spinal mobility. Serum cytokine levels are poor markers for these central disease features in AS management. Funding Abbott Norway AS and Arthritis Foundation of Western Australia.

Keywords

• Ankylosing spondylitis
• ASDAS-CRP
• Disease activity
• Patient-reported health measures
• Proinflammatory cytokines