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[Activity of the disease and selected echocardiographic abnormalities in ankylosing spondylitis]

Hanna Przepiera-Bedzak1, Małgorzata Peregud-Pogorzelska, Marek Brzosko

  • 1Klinika Reumatologii, Pomorska Akademia Medyczna, Szczecin. hannapb@wp.pl

Polski Merkuriusz Lekarski : Organ Polskiego Towarzystwa Lekarskiego
|June 20, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) disease activity showed mixed associations with echocardiographic abnormalities. While ESR correlated with mitral valve prolapse, other disease activity indexes did not significantly impact cardiac findings.

Area of Science:

  • Rheumatology
  • Cardiology
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Cardiovascular involvement is a significant concern in ankylosing spondylitis (AS).
  • Echocardiographic abnormalities can occur in AS patients.
  • Understanding the relationship between disease activity and cardiac findings is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of ankylosing spondylitis disease activity on echocardiographic abnormalities.
  • To identify potential correlations between disease activity markers and cardiac structural/functional changes.

Main Methods:

  • Studied 38 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).
  • Assessed disease activity using erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and indexes like BASMI, BASFI, BASDAI, BASG-t, and BASG-6.
  • Utilized 2-dimensional echocardiography (echo Doppler) to measure cardiac dimensions.

Main Results:

  • Higher ESR was associated with mitral valve prolapse (p=0.05).
  • Lower BASG-6 scores correlated with aortic incompetence (p=0.04) and were negatively correlated with ejection fraction (EF) and disease duration.
  • Pericardial effusion was linked to shorter disease duration (p=0.05).

Conclusions:

  • Disease activity, assessed by BASMI, BASFI, BASDAI, BASG-t, and BASG-6, did not show a significant influence on most echocardiographic abnormalities in AS.
  • ESR emerged as a potential indicator for mitral valve prolapse in AS patients.
Abstract

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