Epidemiological and Pharmacal Study of Ankylosing Spondylitis in a Rheumatology Clinic in a Tertiary Health Care Center

Abstract

Determination of epidemiological characteristics in rheumatologic diseases is important to improve the diagnosis and treatment course in patients. This study was performed to determine the epidemiological characteristics in ankylosing spondylitis patients. In this observational cross-sectional study, the epidemiological characteristics were assessed in 219 consecutive patients with ankylosing spondylitis referred to the rheumatology clinic in a tertiary health care center during 2014 to 2018. The mean age was 38.5 years and 76.3% were male. Also, 39.3% had academic literacy. Smoking was seen in 42% and 43.4% had constitutional symptoms. IBD and Uveitis were seen in 7.3% and 15.5%, respectively. Family history and HLA-B27 were positive in 26.5% and 63%, respectively. The mean age of onset was 27.4 ± 9 years. The mean diagnosis age, delay time, and duration were 31.7, 4.3, and 6.9 years, respectively.