Demographics and clinical characteristics of patients with AS and healthy controls matched 1:1 for age, sex, and classical CVD risk factors. Data are mean ± SD or median (interquartile range) unless otherwise specified.
| Characteristics | AS, n= 67 | Controls, n = 67 | p |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, yrs | 47.54 ± 12.47 | 47.78 ± 12.69 | 0.913 |
| Women,% | 18 | 18 | |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 26.45 ± 4.22 | 26.96 ± 3.62 | 0.455 |
| Systolic BP, mmHg | 126.99 ± 14.94 | 127.21 ± 15.32 | 0.932 |
| Diastolic BP, mmHg | 78.60 ± 9.11 | 77.31 ± 10.11 | 0.441 |
| Median disease duration, yrs | 12 (3–25) | — | — |
| CRP, mg/l | 3.62 (2–10) | — | |
| ESR, mm | 21 (8–44) | ||
| BASFI | 2 (0.9–2.8) | — | — |
| BASDAI | 1.8 (0.4–3.6) | — | — |
| HAQ-DI | 0.13 (0–0.5) | ||
| Biologic therapy*, n | 44 | — | — |
| Smoking, n | |||
| Non-smokers | 14 | 14 | |
| Active smokers | 37 | 37 | |
| Ex-smokers | 16 | 16 | |
| Hypertension, n | 22 | 22 | |
| Antihypertensive drug, n | 13 | 20 | 0.160 |
| Hyperlipidemia, n | 10 | 10 | |
| Lipid-lowering drug, n | 5 | 6 | 0.753 |
↵* Adalimumab: 19 patients, etanercept: 15 patients, infliximab: 6 patients, golimumab: 4 patients. AS: ankylosing spondylitis; CVD: cardiovascular disease; BMI: body mass index; BP: blood pressure; CRP: C-reactive protein; ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate; BASFI: Bath AS Functional Index; BASDAI: Bath AS Disease Activity Index; HAQ-DI: Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index.