Sex Makes a Difference in Spinal Radiographic Progression

September 13, 2018

Findings from the first report on sex-specific predictors of spinal radiographic progression in ankylosing spondylitis.

Reference1. Deminger A, Klingberg E, Geijer M, et al. A five-year prospective study of spinal radiographic progression and its predictors in men and women with ankylosing spondylitis. Arthritis Res Ther. 2018;20:162. doi: 10.1186/s13075-018-1665-1.

Deminger and fellow researchers in Sweden found that obesity and baseline ankylosing spondylitis (AS) spinal alterations predicted spinal radiographic progression in both sexes. In women, bisphosphonate exposure was a predictor of radiographic progression, while high C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and smoking predicted progression in men.¹ Thumb through the slides for the details of the study and the take-home points for clinicians.

(Image: ©Ancroft/Shutterstock.com)

AS, ankylosing spondylitis; mSASSS, modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score.

AS, ankylosing spondylitis; BASMI, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index; mSASSS, modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score.

BASDAI, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index; CRP, C-reactive protein; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; mSASSS, modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score; SD, standard deviation.

BASMI, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index; CRP, C-reactive protein.

AS, ankylosing spondylitis; CRP, C-reactive protein.

Counsel patients that men still have more than twice the risk of developing AS when compared with women.

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Sex Makes a Difference in Spinal Radiographic Progression

Gregory M. Weiss, MD