Table 2.

Associations with living in rural areas and outcome among those commencing a biologic therapy

	Univariable regression analyses, adjusted for age gender, local area deprivation and baseline score (as appropriate)
Categorical outcomes		OR	95% CI
ASAS response criteria	ASAS20 met	0.93	(0.59 to 1.47)
	ASAS40 met	0.96	(0.58 to 1.57)
Continuous outcomes		Coef	95% CI
Disease activity	BASDAI: 0 (best) – 10 (worst)	−0.05	(−0.56 to 0.46)
Physical function	BASFI: 0 (best) – 10 (worst)	0.17	(−0.46 to 0.50)
Quality of life	ASQoL: 0 (best) – 18 (worst)	0.06	(−0.99 to 1.11)
Fatigue	CFS: 0 (best) – 11 (worst)	−0.16	(−0.94 to 0.62)
Sleep disturbance	Jenkins Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire: 0 (best) – 20 (worst)	0.32	(−0.80 to 1.44)
Anxiety	HADS: 0 (best) – 21 (worst)	0.22	(−0.50 to 0.95)
Depression	HADS: 0 (best) – 21 (worst)	−0.35	(−1.07 to 0.37)
Work absenteeism	%	1.52	(−3.78 to 6.81)
Work presenteeism*	%	9.96	(2.85 to 17.06)
Overall work impairment*	%	10.37	(2.63 to 18.10)
Activity impairment	%	0.74	(−4.84 to 6.32)

*Indicates significant difference between urban and rural dwellers (p<0.05).

ASAS, Assessment in Ankylosing Spondylitis; ASQoL, Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life Index; BASDAI, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index; BASFI, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index; CFS, Chalder Fatigue Scale; Coef, β coefficients; HADS, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.