RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Ethnic Influence in Clinical and Functional Measures of Brazilian Patients with Spondyloarthritis JF The Journal of Rheumatology JO J Rheumatol FD The Journal of Rheumatology SP 141 OP 147 DO 10.3899/jrheum.110372 VO 39 IS 1 A1 THELMA L. SKARE A1 ADRIANA B. BORTOLUZZO A1 CÉLIO R. GONÇALVES A1 JOSÉ ANTONIO BRAGA da SILVA A1 ANTONIO CARLOS XIMENES A1 MANOEL B. BÉRTOLO A1 SANDRA L.E. RIBEIRO A1 MAURO KEISERMAN A1 RITA MENIN A1 SUELI CARNEIRO A1 VALDERÍLIO F. AZEVEDO A1 WALBER P. VIEIRA A1 ELISA N. ALBUQUERQUE A1 WASHINGTON A. BIANCHI A1 RUBENS BONFIGLIOLI A1 CRISTIANO CAMPANHOLO A1 HELLEN M.S. CARVALHO A1 IZAIAS P. COSTA A1 ANGELA P. DUARTE A1 MARIA BERNADETE O. GAVI A1 CHARLES L. KOHEM A1 NOCY H. LEITE A1 SONIA A.L. LIMA A1 EDUARDO S. MEIRELLES A1 IVÂNIO A. PEREIRA A1 MARCELO M. PINHEIRO A1 ELIZANDRA POLITO A1 GUSTAVO G. RESENDE A1 FRANCISCO AIRTON C. ROCHA A1 MITTERMAYER B. SANTIAGO A1 MARIA de FÁTIMA L.C. SAUMA A1 PERCIVAL D. SAMPAIO-BARROS YR 2012 UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/39/1/141.abstract AB Objective. Spondyloarthritides (SpA) can present different disease spectra according to ethnic background. The Brazilian Registry of Spondyloarthritis (RBE) is a nationwide registry that comprises a large databank on clinical, functional, and treatment data on Brazilian patients with SpA. The aim of our study was to analyze the influence of ethnic background in SpA disease patterns in a large series of Brazilian patients. Methods. A common protocol of investigation was prospectively applied to 1318 SpA patients in 29 centers distributed through the main geographical regions in Brazil. The group comprised whites (65%), African Brazilians (31.3%), and people of mixed origins (3.7%). Clinical and demographic variables and various disease index scores were compiled. Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) was the most frequent disease in the group (65.1%); others were psoriatic arthritis (18.3%), undifferentiated SpA (6.8%), enteropathic arthritis (3.7%), and reactive arthritis (3.4%). Results. White patients were significantly associated with psoriasis (p = 0.002), positive HLA-B27 (p = 0.014), and use of corticosteroids (p < 0.0001). Hip involvement (p = 0.02), axial inflammatory pain (p = 0.04), and radiographic sacroiliitis (p = 0.025) were associated with African Brazilian descent. Sex distribution, family history, and presence of peripheral arthritis, uveitis, dactylitis, urethritis, and inflammatory bowel disease were similar in the 3 groups, as well as age at disease onset, time from first symptom until diagnosis, and use of anti-tumor necrosis factor-α agents (p > 0.05). Schober test and thoracic expansion were similar in the 3 groups, whereas African Brazilians had higher Maastricht Ankylosing Spondylitis Enthesitis Scores (p = 0.005) and decreased lateral lumbar flexion (p = 0.003), while whites had a higher occiput-to-wall distance (p = 0.02). African Brazilians reported a worse patient global assessment of disease (p = 0.011). Other index scores and prevalence of work incapacity were similar in the 3 groups, although African Brazilians had worse performance in the Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life questionnaire (p < 0.001). Conclusion. Ethnic background is associated with distinct clinical aspects of SpA in Brazilian patients. African Brazilian patients with SpA have a poorer quality of life and report worse disease compared to whites.