Baseline characteristics of patients with AS with and without cardiac conduction disturbance at 5-year follow-up, stratified by sex
| Female (n=79) | Male (n=93) | |||
| CCD (n=4) | Without CCD (n=75) | CCD (n=19) | Without CCD (n=74) | |
| General characteristics | ||||
| Age, years | 63 (50, 67) | 49 (41, 62) | 62 (51, 66) | 47 (37, 55) |
| Current or past smoking | 2 (50.0) | 34 (45.3) | 13 (68.4) | 34 (45.9) |
| Waist circumference, cm (n=170) | 101 (79, 108) | 82 (74, 92) | 103 (96, 111) | 89 (83, 101) |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 27.3 (21.5, 29.9) | 24.0 (21.8, 27.7) | 28.4 (25.2, 30.7) | 24.7 (23.4, 27.4) |
| BMI ≥25 kg/m2 | 3 (75.0) | 32 (42.7) | 15 (78.9) | 36 (48.6) |
| AS characteristics | ||||
| Symptom duration, years (n=170) | 39 (37, 46) | 24 (12, 34) | 36 (16, 44) | 20 (11, 30) |
| HLA-B27-positive | 3 (75.0) | 60 (80.0) | 19 (100.0) | 67 (90.5) |
| History of peripheral arthritis | 4 (100.0) | 46 (61.3) | 13 (68.4) | 37 (50.0) |
| History of anterior uveitis | 4 (100.0) | 32 (42.7) | 15 (78.9) | 37 (50.0) |
| At least one syndesmophyte | 2 (50.0) | 24 (32.0) | 15 (78.9) | 39 (52.7) |
| mSASSS | 3 (0, 8) | 2 (0, 11) | 19 (5, 66) | 8 (2, 34) |
| Tender joint count (max 68) | 3 (0, 12) | 0 (0, 1) | 0 (0, 0) | 0 (0, 0) |
| Swollen joint count (max 66) | 0 (0, 0) | 0 (0, 0) | 0 (0, 0) | 0 (0, 0) |
| ASDAS-CRP score | 2.9 (1.5, 4.4) | 2.0 (1.5, 2.6) | 2.9 (1.8, 3.2) | 1.8 (1.3, 2.7) |
| ASDAS-CRP ≥2.1, n (%) | 2 (50.0) | 37 (49.3) | 13 (68.4) | 30 (40.5) |
| BASDAI score (n=170) | 5.0 (2.0, 7.8) | 3.6 (1.9, 5.5) | 4.0 (1.7, 5.9) | 2.4 (1.4, 4.5) |
| BASMI score | 3.7 (3.0, 4.3) | 2.6 (2.2, 3.8) | 4.0 (1.8, 7.0) | 2.8 (1.8, 3.9) |
| BASFI score (n=170) | 5.0 (1.9, 7.9) | 2.3 (0.9, 4.4) | 3.7 (1.5, 5.4) | 1.6 (0.8, 2.9) |
| ESR, mm/hour | 20 (11, 48) | 14 (9, 20) | 10 (5, 27) | 10 (6, 15) |
| CRP, mg/L | 3.5 (1, 23) | 2 (1, 5) | 3 (0.5, 12) | 3 (1, 6) |
| Cardiovascular characteristics | ||||
| CCD (at baseline) | 2 (50.0) | 3 (4.0) | 13 (68.4) | 5 (6.8) |
| Aortic regurgitation* | 0 (0.0) | 12 (16.0) | 6 (31.6) | 8 (10.8) |
| Aortic regurgitation*, moderate or severe | 0 (0.0) | 3 (4.0) | 3 (15.8) | 2 (2.7) |
| Ischaemic heart disease | 0 (0.0) | 1 (1.3) | 3 (15.8) | 2 (2.7) |
| Systolic blood pressure, mm Hg | 133 (119, 163) | 130 (117, 145) | 145 (135, 160) | 130 (117, 146) |
| Diastolic blood pressure, mm Hg | 78 (71, 80) | 80 (70, 85) | 80 (65, 85) | 80 (70, 80) |
| Reported comorbidity | ||||
| Hypertension | 1 (25.0) | 18 (24.0) | 10 (52.6) | 18 (24.3) |
| Diabetes | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 5 (6.8) |
| Hyperlipidaemia | 1 (25.0) | 4 (5.3) | 3 (15.8) | 3 (4.1) |
| Medications | ||||
| Antiplatelets or anticoagulants | 2 (50.0) | 3 (4.0) | 6 (31.6) | 3 (4.1) |
| Antiplatelets | 2 (50.0) | 3 (4.0) | 5 (26.3) | 2 (2.7) |
| Anticoagulants | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (5.3) | 1 (1.4) |
| Antihypertensives | 2 (50.0) | 13 (17.3) | 10 (52.6) | 12 (16.2) |
| ACE inhibitors/ARBs | 1 (25.0) | 2 (2.7) | 6 (31.6) | 11 (14.9) |
| Beta-blockers | 2 (50.0) | 6 (8.0) | 7 (36.8) | 6 (8.1) |
| Lipid modulators | 0 (0.0) | 4 (5.3) | 3 (15.8) | 3 (4.1) |
| DMARDs | 1 (25.0) | 24 (32.0) | 4 (21.1) | 31 (41.9) |
| TNF inhibitors | 1 (25.0) | 10 (13.3) | 1 (5.3) | 22 (29.7) |
| csDMARDs | 1 (25.0) | 22 (29.3) | 4 (21.1) | 26 (35.1) |
| NSAIDs | 2 (50.0) | 62 (82.7) | 16 (84.2) | 54 (73.0) |
| Prednisolone | 0 (0.0) | 3 (4.0) | 2 (10.5) | 1 (1.4) |
Data are expressed as number (%) or median (Q1, Q3) and presented for 172 patients if not stated otherwise.
*Missing data in 13 patients who did not undergo echocardiography.
ARBs, angiotensin II receptor blockers;AS, ankylosing spondylitis; ASDAS-CRP, AS Disease Activity Score-C reactive protein; BASDAI, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index; BASFI, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index; BASMI, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index; BMI, body mass index;CCD, cardiac conduction disturbance; CRP, C reactive protein; csDMARDs, conventional synthetic DMARDs; DMARDs, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs;ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; HLA-B27, human leukocyte antigen-B27; mSASSS, modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spinal Score; NSAIDs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; Q1, 25th percentile; Q3, 75th percentile; TNF, tumour necrosis factor.