Risk of disease flare in spondyloarthritis patients after tapering tumor necrosis factor inhibitors: A meta-analysis and literature review.

Background: Tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFis) have shown dramatic benefit in patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA). Tapering of TNFi medication may be considered in patients with sustained low disease activity because continued use of TNFis at standard doses may increase the risk of side effects including infections and impose an economic burden. However, the optimal TNFi tapering strategy for SpA patients with inactive disease has not been established.

Impact of anti-tumor necrosis factor treatment on lipid profiles in Korean patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Objective: To investigate the effects of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) treatment on lipid profiles and identify risk factors for an increase in total cholesterol (TC) after the anti-TNF treatment in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed AS patients who received the first-line anti-TNF treatment. Patients with at least nine months of follow-up were included; those who were under 18 years or on any lipid-lowering agent were excluded.

The relationship between long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and kidney function in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Objective: Although nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the first-line treatment for ankylosing spondylitis (AS), their effect on kidney function remains unclear. This longitudinal study investigated the correlation between long-term NSAID use and kidney function in patients with AS using electronic medical records.

Methods: The electronic medical records of 1,280 patients with AS collected from a single center between January 2001 and December 2018 were reviewed.

Association between changes in serum alkaline phosphatase levels and radiographic progression in ankylosing spondylitis.

This retrospective study evaluated the electronic medical records of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) (January 2001-December 2018) to determine the relationship between serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels and radiographic changes over time. Longitudinal data, including serum ALP levels, were imputed by linear interpolation at 3-month intervals. Among the serum ALP levels calculated for 8 years prior to modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spinal Score (mSASSS) measurement, those having the highest beta coefficient with the mSASSS were selected in the correlation between ALP and longitudinal mSASSS.

Clinical and genetic factors associated with radiographic damage in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Objectives: To identify clinical and genetic factors associated with severe radiographic damage in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Methods: We newly generated genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism data (833K) for 444 patients with AS. The severity of radiographic damage was assessed using the modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spinal Score (mSASSS).

The impact of smoking status on radiographic progression in patients with ankylosing spondylitis on anti-tumor necrosis factor treatment.

Background: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is characterized by back pain which can lead to spinal ankylosis. Anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) dramatically alleviates symptoms, but spinal damage can still be progressive even during anti-TNF treatment. Smoking is a one of well-known risk factors for structural damage in AS.

Relationship Between Inflammation and Radiographic Progression in Patients With Ankylosing Spondylitis Attaining a BASDAI of Less Than 4 During Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor Treatment.

Objective: To determine the relationship between inflammation and radiographic progression over time in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) attaining a Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) of < 4 during tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) treatment.

Methods: Medical records data of patients with AS with BASDAI scores of < 4 during TNFi treatment were analyzed at 6-month intervals from January 2001 to December 2018. To determine the relationship between the modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spinal Score (mSASSS) and C-reactive protein (CRP) over time, we fitted linear mixed models with mSASSS as the response variable, baseline mSASSS and the cumulative sum of CRP with different lag times (6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 months) as fixed effects, and patients as random effects.

Early control of C-reactive protein levels with non-biologics is associated with slow radiographic progression in radiographic axial spondyloarthritis.

Aim: Predicting radiographic progression is vital for assessing the prognosis of patients with radiographic axial spondyloarthritis, and C-reactive protein (CRP) may be a valuable biomarker for this purpose. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between changes in the CRP level and spinal radiographic progression in patients with radiographic axial spondyloarthritis who were initially treated with non-biologics.

Methods: Patients with radiographic axial spondyloarthritis who were followed up for 18 years at a single center and initially treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and/or conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs for 3 months were included.

Gender differences in factors associated with low quality of life and depression in Korean patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Purpose: To identify predictors of low health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and depression in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients with a focus on gender differences.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional cohort study. Both AS-related clinical data and contextual factors were obtained.

Low BASDAI score alone is not a good predictor of anti-tumor necrosis factor treatment efficacy in ankylosing spondylitis: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of high disease activity as measured using the Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients who nonetheless have low Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) scores after anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) treatment. Its clinical impact on anti-TNF survival was also investigated.

Methods: We conducted a single-centre retrospective cohort study of AS patients having low BASDAI scores (< 4) and available ASDAS-C-reactive protein (CRP) data after 3 months of first-line anti-TNF treatment.

Tumour necrosis factor inhibitors slow radiographic progression in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: 18-year real-world evidence.

Objectives: Tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFis) have been suggested to slow radiographic progression in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. However, limitations such as variations in disease activity, complex drug administration and short follow-up duration make it difficult to determine the effect of TNFis on radiographic progression. The aim of the study was to investigate whether long-term treatment with TNFis can reduce radiographic progression in patients with ankylosing spondylitis using 18-year longitudinal real-world data.

Effect of biologics in the level of cytokines in the synovial fluid of patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Background/aims: Biologics are very effective drugs for patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). However, there are patients who are not responding to biologics. This study aimed to evaluate the level of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-23, and IL-17 from synovial fluid in patients with AS and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and differences of the level of those cytokines according to drugs.

Evaluation of disease chronicity by bone marrow fat fraction using sacroiliac joint magnetic resonance imaging in patients with spondyloarthritis: A retrospective study.

Aim: This study investigated the use of fat fraction (FF) measurements in the sacroiliac (SI) joint to determine radiologic progression in patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA).

Method: A total of 138 patients who underwent pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) between September 2014 and March 2015 were retrospectively evaluated. The FF based upon fat deposition (%) using fat signaling on T1 and T2 weighted images in the sacroiliac joint was quantified using a 6-echo variant of the modified Dixon technique.

Comparison on radiographic progression for 5 years between juvenile onset ankylosing spondylitis and adult onset ankylosing spondylitis: an observational study of the Korean SpondyloArthropathy Registry (OSKAR) data.

Objectives: To evaluate differences in radiographic progression between adult-onset ankylosing spondylitis (AoAS) and juvenile-onset ankylosing spondylitis (JoAS).

Methods: A total of 533 patients (418 patients with AoAS and 115 patients with JoAS) from the Observation Study of Korean spondyloArthropathy Registry (OSKAR) cohort were enrolled. All baseline OSKAR data were analysed in relation to disease onset and radiographic progression was analysed between the groups over 5 years.

Radiographic progression in patients with ankylosing spondylitis according to tumor necrosis factor blocker exposure: Observation Study of Korean Spondyloarthropathy Registry (OSKAR) data.

Objective: To evaluate the influence of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocker on the radiographic progression in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients.

Methods: A total of 610 patients were recruited. We stratified two groups (TNF blocker naïve and exposure patients).