Table 1.
Disease and CV features in men and women patients with axSpA
| Variable | Men (n=611) | Women (n=302) | P value |
| Mean age (years)±SD at the time of enrolment | 49±13 | 49±13 | 0.72 |
| Mean disease duration (years)±SD at the time of enrolment | 12.86±10.77 | 10.08±9.77 | <0.001 |
| APR at the time of disease diagnosis | |||
| CRP (mg/L) | 5.0 (1.4–14.6) | 4.0 (1.0–11.0) | 0.094 |
| CRP >3 (mg/L) | 327 (56) | 159 (56) | 0.98 |
| ESR (mm/first hour) | 11 (5–26) | 16 (9–29) | 0.038 |
| ESR ≥15 mm/first hour | 198 (41) | 138 (55) | <0.001 |
| Disease status indices and APR at the time of enrolment | |||
| ASDAS | 2.25±1.02 | 2.45±1.03 | 0.012 |
| BASDAI | 3.3 (1.6–5.2) | 4.5 (2.7–6.0) | <0.001 |
| BASDAI >4 | 236 (40) | 167 (61) | <0.001 |
| BASFI | 3.5±2.6 | 3.7±2.5 | 0.35 |
| BASFI ≥3.8 | 238 (42) | 124 (46) | 0.26 |
| BASMI | 2.86±2.19 | 2.52±1.75 | 0.033 |
| CRP (mg/L) | 2.4 (0.7–6.3) | 2.1 (0.5–6.0) | 0.094 |
| ESR (mm/first hour) | 6 (3–13) | 9 (4–18) | 0.062 |
| CV features at the time of enrolment | |||
| CV risk factors | |||
| Current smoker | 192 (31) | 74 (25) | 0.033 |
| Hypertension | 183 (30) | 66 (22) | 0.009 |
| Dyslipidaemia | 221 (36) | 85 (28) | 0.015 |
| Obesity | 140 (23) | 70 (24) | 0.94 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 51 (8) | 16 (5) | 0.099 |
| Lipids | |||
| Total cholesterol (mg/dL) | 189±40 | 194±39 | 0.092 |
| High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (mg/dL) | 50±13 | 62±18 | <0.001 |
| Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (mg/dL) | 116±34 | 112±31 | 0.11 |
| Atherogenic index* | 4.00±1.14 | 3.3±0.99 | <0.001 |
| Triglycerides (mg/dL) | 129±88 | 106±65 | <0.001 |
| Statins, n (%) | 118 (22) | 35 (13) | 0.004 |
| Blood pressure, mm Hg | |||
| Systolic | 132±17 | 126±18 | <0.001 |
| Diastolic | 81±11 | 77±10 | <0.001 |
| BMI | 27±4 | 27±6 | 0.012 |
| Waist circumference (cm) | 98±13 | 89±14 | <0.001 |
| High waist circumference†, n (%) | 173 (32) | 130 (49) | <0.001 |
| Parameters of insulin resistance | |||
| Glucose, mg/dL | 99±25 | 94±18 | 0.051 |
| Insulin, U/mL | 9.7 (5.6–20.4) | 11.2 (5.5–21.3) | 0.17 |
| HOMA2-IR, % | 1.2 (0.72.7) | 1.4 (0.70–2.8) | 0.41 |
| HOMA2-S, % | 81 (38–141) | 69 (36–143) | 0.76 |
| Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA)2-BC, % | 116±83 | 112±76 | 0.63 |
| QUICKI | 0.34±0.05 | 0.34±0.06 | 0.99 |
| C-peptide, ng/mL | 1.7 (0.9–3.1) | 1.4 (0.7–2.7) | 0.24 |
| TyG index | 4.6±0.3 | 4.7±0.3 | 0.004 |
| Carotid plaques | 221 (37) | 74 (26) | 0.001 |
*Atherogenic index: total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol.
†Waist circumference >102 cm in men and >88 cm in women.
APR, acute phase reactants; ASDAS, Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score; BASDAI, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index; BASFI, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index; BASMI, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index; BMI, body mass index; CRP, C reactive protein; CV, cardiovascular; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; HOMA2-IR, Homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance; HOMA2-S, homeostatic model assessment of insulin sensitivity; QUICKI, Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index.