Early spondyloarthritis in multiracial society: differences between gender, race, and disease subgroups with regard to first symptom at presentation, main problem that the disease is causing to patients, and employment status.

To determine whether the first presenting symptoms, the main problem that the disease is causing to patients, and the employment status at presentation of patients with early spondyloarthritis (SpA) in a multicultural/multiracial patient cohort are different between gender, race, and disease subgroups of the SpA spectrum (ankylosing spondylitis, enteropathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or undifferentiated arthritis). All patients above the age of 16 years, with disease duration of less than 3 years since symptom onset, seen in clinic between 2004 and 2008 with spondyloarthritis (SpAs) were assessed regarding their first presenting symptom, the main problem caused by the disease, and their employment status. In addition, clinical parameters such as the degree of disease activity (measured by BASDAI, ESR, and CRP), functional ability (measured by BASFI), night pain, sleep disturbance, well-being over past week, and over past 6 months prior to assessment (measured by a 10 cm VAS; 0 = good health, 10 = worst possible) were obtained.

Spondyloarthritis in women: differences in disease onset, clinical presentation, and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity and Functional indices (BASDAI and BASFI) between men and women with spondyloarthritides.

The aim of this study is to assess the gender differences in spondyloarthritides (SpAs) in terms of disease onset, clinical presentation, and the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity and Functional indices (BASDAI and BASFI). We analysed data from a predominantly female cohort. Five hundred and 16 patients (male:female = 172:344) with SpA who were assessed at our clinic were asked to complete a questionnaire addressing data related to their disease onset (first symptom at presentation, age at which the first symptom presented, age of diagnosis, and delay in diagnosis), clinical presentation (main problem the disease caused them, night pain/sleep disturbance, well-being over the past week, and well-being over the previous 6 months), disease activity indices (erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) and BASDAI), and functional index (BASFI).

The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Activity and Function Indices (BASDAI and BASFI) and their correlation with main symptoms experienced by patients with spondyloarthritis.

With the aim of assessing whether the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Activity and Function Indices (BASDAI and BASFI) are reliable measures of disease activity and function in patients with spondyloarthritides (SpAs), 341 patients with SpA (representing ankylosing spondylitis (14.5%), psoriatic arthritis (27.3%), enteropathic arthritis (6.