Table 4

Effects of disease activity on radiographic progression in subgroups—sensitivity analysis*

SubgroupOverall groupMenWomen
p Value for the interaction2-year increase in mSASSS per one-ASDAS unit increase (units, (95% CI))2-year increase in mSASSS per one-ASDAS unit increase (units, (95% CI))2-year increase in mSASSS per one-ASDAS unit increase (units, (95% CI))
SmokingSmokers (n=35)<0.0012.13 (1.01 to 3.26)2.56 (1.19 to 3.94)–†
Non-smokers (n=50)0.34 (−0.03 to 0.70)0.45 (−0.03 to 0.93)0.06 (−0.22 to 0.34)
Occupation‘Blue collar’ (n=40)0.0311.33 (0.66 to 2.00)1.54 (0.78 to 2.29)0.06 (−0.16 to 0.28)
‘White collar’ (n=45)0.20 (−0.36 to 0.77)0.25 (−0.58 to 1.08)−0.01 (−0.39 to 0.37)
Education‘Non-university’ (n=78)0.6780.93 (0.47 to 1.39)1.13 (0.56 to 1.71)0.06 (−0.22 to 0.33)
‘University’ (n=7)−0.19 (−0.57 to 0.18)−0.34 (−0.97 to 0.29)0.00 (0.00 to 0.00)
Monthly gross personal income<€1588 (n=51)0.0661.13 (0.51 to 1.75)1.37 (0.58 to 2.16)–†
≥€1588 (n=34)0.21 (−0.19 to 0.61)0.26 (−0.21 to 0.72)−0.09 (−0.99 to 0.81)
Monthly gross family income<€3176 (n=43)0.4970.47 (0.01 to 0.92)0.60 (0.06 to 1.13)0.13 (−0.15 to 0.41)
≥€3176 (n=13)−0.05 (−0.45 to 0.35)0.03 (−0.25 to 0.30)−0.18 (−1.08 to 0.72)
  • *All models are time-lagged (2 years of time lag) and autoregressive (ie, adjusted for mSASSS in the 2-years before). Progression per subgroup is expressed in mSASSS units over 2 years per one-ASDAS unit increase. Sensitivity analysis group: patients included in the study and with the following variables available: occupational activity, smoking status, education and personal income (availability of family income was not demanded because of the higher number of missing values in this variable).

  • †Model does not reach convergence due to a small group of patients (N=5).

  • ASDAS, Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score; mSASSS, modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score.