Linda E. Dean

Global prevalence of ankylosing spondylitis

OBJECTIVES For effective health care provision, knowledge of disease prevalence is paramount. There has been no systematic endeavour to establish continent-based AS estimates, however, prevalence is thought to vary by country and background HLA-B27 prevalence. This study aimed to estimate AS prevalence worldwide and to calculate the expected number of cases. METHODS A systematic literature search was conducted. Prevalence data were extracted and used to calculate the mean prevalence by continent and the expected number of cases based on country-specific prevalence (or, if missing, the prevalence from neighbouring countries). A second estimate was made using the prevalence from countries with similar HLA-B27 prevalences if a country-specific prevalence estimate was not available. RESULTS The mean AS prevalence per 10,000 (from 36 eligible studies) was 23.8 in Europe, 16.7 in Asia, 31.9 in North America, 10.2 in Latin America and 7.4 in Africa. Additional estimates, weighted by study size, were calculated as 18.6, 18.0 and 12.2 for Europe, Asia and Latin America, respectively. There were sufficient studies to estimate the number of cases in Europe and Asia, calculated to be 1.30-1.56 million and 4.63-4.98 million, respectively. CONCLUSION This study represents the first systematic attempt to collate estimates of AS prevalence into a single continent-based estimate. In addition, the number of expected cases in Europe and Asia was estimated. Through reviewing the current literature, it is apparent that the continuing conduct of epidemiological studies of AS prevalence is of great importance, particularly as diagnostic capabilities improve and with the recent development of the criteria for axial SpA.

EULAR revised recommendations for the management of fibromyalgia

Objective The original European League Against Rheumatism recommendations for managing fibromyalgia assessed evidence up to 2005. The paucity of studies meant that most recommendations were ‘expert opinion’. Methods A multidisciplinary group from 12 countries assessed evidence with a focus on systematic reviews and meta-analyses concerned with pharmacological/non-pharmacological management for fibromyalgia. A review, in May 2015, identified eligible publications and key outcomes assessed were pain, fatigue, sleep and daily functioning. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system was used for making recommendations. Results 2979 titles were identified: from these 275 full papers were selected for review and 107 reviews (and/or meta-analyses) evaluated as eligible. Based on meta-analyses, the only ‘strong for’ therapy-based recommendation in the guidelines was exercise. Based on expert opinion, a graduated approach, the following four main stages are suggested underpinned by shared decision-making with patients. Initial management should involve patient education and focus on non-pharmacological therapies. In case of non-response, further therapies (all of which were evaluated as ‘weak for’ based on meta-analyses) should be tailored to the specific needs of the individual and may involve psychological therapies (for mood disorders and unhelpful coping strategies), pharmacotherapy (for severe pain or sleep disturbance) and/or a multimodal rehabilitation programme (for severe disability). Conclusions These recommendations are underpinned by high-quality reviews and meta-analyses. The size of effect for most treatments is relatively modest. We propose research priorities clarifying who will benefit from specific interventions, their effect in combination and organisation of healthcare systems to optimise outcome.

A possible link between ankylosing spondylitis and periodontitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine the link between AS and periodontitis. METHODS Medline, Embase, AMED, CINAHL, Web of Science and Google Scholar were searched to identify eligible studies that were selected and reviewed independently by at least two authors. RESULTS Six case-control studies were included in the review. Study size ranged from 90 to 40 926 participants. The prevalence of periodontitis ranged from 38% to 88% in AS patients and from 26% to 71% in controls. As there was low-level heterogeneity (I(2) = 13%), using fixed effects analysis the overall pooled estimate of the odds ratios for periodontitis was 1.85 (95% CI 1.72, 1.98). There was no evidence of publication bias. CONCLUSION The results led to the need for a further large study with sufficient statistical power to detect the desired effect size, taking into account potential confounding factors and using validated measures of AS and periodontitis.

Impact of Moving From a Widespread to Multisite Pain Definition on Other Fibromyalgia Symptoms

To investigate whether associations between pain and the additional symptoms associated with fibromyalgia are different in persons with chronic widespread pain (CWP) compared to multisite pain (MSP), with or without joint areas.

Five Potentially Modifiable Factors Predict Poor Quality of Life in Ankylosing Spondylitis: Results from the Scotland Registry for Ankylosing Spondylitis

Objective. A chronic inflammatory condition manifesting in young adulthood, ankylosing spondylitis (AS) affects both physical and emotional quality of life (QOL). To inform future intervention strategies, this study aimed to (1) assess the QOL of patients with AS, and (2) identify potentially modifiable factors associated with reporting poor QOL. Methods. The Scotland Registry for Ankylosing Spondylitis collects clinical and patient-reported data on clinically diagnosed patients with AS across Scotland. QOL is measured using the ASQoL questionnaire [range: 0 (high) to 18 (poor)]. Potentially modifiable factors associated with reporting poor QOL (score 12–18) were examined using Poisson regression models, adjusted for a variety of demographic characteristics, plus various nonmodifiable factors. Results are given as risk ratios (RR) with 95% CI. Results. Data were available on 959 patients: 74% male, mean age 52 years (SD 13), median ASQoL 7.0 (interquartile range 2–12). Although many factors were univariately associated with poor QOL, 5 were identified as independent predictors: reporting moderate/severe fatigue (RR 1.60, 95% CI 1.13–2.28), poor physical function [Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) ≥ 4: 3.46, 1.76–6.82], chronic widespread pain (CWP; 1.92, 1.33–2.75), high disease activity [Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) ≥ 4: 1.52, 1.09–2.12], and poor spinal mobility [Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI) ≥ 4: 1.52, 0.93–2.50]. For these factors, population-attributable risks ranged between 20% (disease activity) and 56% (physical function). Conclusion. We have identified 5 potentially modifiable factors independently associated with poor QOL. These findings provide evidence that in addition to traditional clinical targets (BASDAI, BASFI, and BASMI), focus on nonspecific symptoms (CWP and fatigue), perhaps with nonpharmacological therapies, may yield important improvements in QOL.

Disease Severity in Never Smokers, Ex-Smokers, and Current Smokers With Axial Spondyloarthritis: Results From the Scotland Registry for Ankylosing Spondylitis

To examine the relationship between smoking, smoking cessation, and disease characteristics and quality of life (QoL) in spondyloarthritis.

Management of Widespread Pain and Fibromyalgia

Opinion statementSpecialists’ views of fibromyalgia (FM) are typically colored by their experiences of the selected, complex cases that they are regularly called to evaluate. At a population level, it is crucial to recognize that education which promotes patient empowerment and non-pharmacological interventions which support self-management are very effective. The temptation, for both physician and patient, to first reach for pharmacological interventions should be resisted until such holistic approaches are explored. In particular, a strong evidence base supports graded exercise and cognitive behavioral therapies, but such treatments must be intelligently “prescribed.” As reflected by the recent ACR criteria, FM is a highly heterogeneous disorder and is not simply a disorder of pain. For some patients, co-occurring symptoms, such as fatigue, can be equally as impactful and so management strategies should be sufficiently versatile to target those dimensions which are considered priorities at the level of the individual patient. In those patients who do require pharmacological support, patients should not be led to expect significant gains in isolation. The importance of self-management requires emphasis at each and every tier of management. It is true that advances in our understanding of neurobiology have greatly informed the selection of adjunctive drug classes which may provide benefit (as well as those which do not—as is the case of opioids). However, further unpicking of pathogenesis is still required if the FM landscape is to move further towards drug-led management.

Do patients with ankylosing spondylitis have an excess prevalence of chronic widespread pain?: Results from the Scotland and Ireland Registry for Ankylosing Spondylitis (SIRAS) and the MUSICIAN study

SUPPLEMENTSex Bias In Autoimmune Diseases : Increased Risk Of 47,XXX In Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Sjogrens Syndrome (SS) Supports The Gene Dose HypothesisBackground/Purpose: Human FoxP3+ Th-cells are heterogeneous in function and include not only suppressive cells (TRegs) but also nonsuppressive cells that abundantly secrete proinflammatory cytokines. We have previously shown that FoxP3+ Th-cells were increased in GPA-patients during remission as compared to healthy controls (HCs). In this group of patients, however, we observed a defective suppressor function of TRegs, and an increase in the percentage of Th-17 cells. These observations make it tempting to investigate whether increased FoxP3+ Th-cells in GPA-patients are attributed to an increase in the cytokine-secreting non-suppressive FoxP3+Th-cells. Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from 46 GPA-patients in remission and from 22 age- and sex-matched HCs. Expression of CD4, CD45RO, and FoxP3 were determined by flow cytometric analysis. The expression levels of FoxP3 and CD45RO were used for distinction between activated suppressor TRegs (FoxP3HighCD45RO+; ASTReg), resting suppressor TRegs (FoxP3LowCD45RO-; RSTReg), and cytokine-secreting non-suppressor TRegs (FoxP3LowCD45RO+; NONTReg) cells. Intracellular expression of IFNg, IL-17, and IL-21 were determined in the various FoxP3+ Th-cell subsets after in vitro activation of PBMCs by PMA and Ca-Ionophore. Results: A significant increase in the frequency of NONTReg cells was observed in GPA-patients as compared with HCs, whereas no differences were detected in RSTReg- and ASTReg cells between GPA-patients and HCs. The distribution of RSTReg- and NONTReg cells did not differ between ANCA-negative and ANCA-positive patients, whereas lower percentages of ASTReg cells were observed in ANCA-positive patients as compared to ANCA-negative patients and HCs. Importantly, a significant increase in the percentage of IL-17+ and IL-21+ cells was seen within the NONTRegcells from ANCA-positive patients (n= 9) when compared to ANCA-negative (n= 10) and HCs (n= 12), whereas no differences were found between ANCA-negative and HCs. Conclusion: Increased FoxP3 expression in Th-cells from GPA-patients is related to an increase in a subset of non-suppressive Th-cells. Increased production of IL-17 and IL-21 cytokines, in NONTReg cells from ANCApositive patients points towards FoxP3+ effector cells and decrease in suppressive TReg cells in relation to ANCA production.Complex Functional Effects Within The HLA Contribute To Sjogrens Syndrome Pathogenesis and May Influence Both Transcriptional Regulation and Peptide Binding

The Impact of Ankylosing Spondylitis on Work Impairment: Data from the Scotland Registry for Ankylosing Spondylitis

This free journal suppl. entitled: Special Issue: 2014 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting Abstract Supplement

Evaluation of Clinical Parameters and Quality of Life in Smokers with Ankylosing Spondylitis: Results from the Scotland Registry for Ankylosing Spondylitis.

This free journal suppl. entitled: Special Issue: 2014 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting Abstract Supplement