Relationship Between Ankylosing Spondylitis and Cerebrovascular Disorders: A Systematic Review

Cerebrovascular events are linked to ankylosing spondylitis. Accelerated atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction against a backdrop of inflammation have been widely blamed for the increased cerebrovascular risk in ankylosing spondylitis. The absence of a comprehensive review encouraged us to consider the link between ankylosing spondylitis and cerebrovascular diseases. Web of Science, PubMed, Medline, Scopus, and EMBASE were searched to identify studies published from 2000 to June 10, 2023. All observational and cohort studies reporting myocardial infarction or stroke and considering classic cerebrovascular risk in ankylosing spondylitis patients and healthy controls were included. Most of the included studies reported that the risk of cerebrovascular disorders was greater in ankylosing spondylitis than in the general population. Also, most studies showed that for both sexes, the prevalence of cardiovascular illnesses rose with age, and this trend was consistent across all subgroups of cardiovascular disorders. Also, most studies reported that the rate of cerebrovascular accidents in ankylosing spondylitis patients was higher than in control groups. Some studies reported that the risk of developing an ischemic stroke was higher in young patients with ankylosing spondylitis, while others did not. Our systematic analysis found that most studies agreed that ankylosing spondylitis patients had a higher risk of cerebrovascular diseases than the general population. Still, this increased risk was influenced by several factors that need further research exploration.