Table 1

Characteristics of the patients with AS and matched control at start of follow-up

ASMatched controls
Men
N=7605
Women
N=4006
Men
N=38 020
Women
N=20 030
Age, mean (SD)49 (15)47 (14)49 (15)47 (14)
18-29 years, n (%)867 (11.4)503 (12.6)4330 (11.4)2515 (12.6)
30–39 years, n (%)1429 (18.8)806 (20.1)7145 (18.8)4030 (20.1)
40–49 years, n (%)1621 (21.3)992 (24.8)8105 (21.3)4960 (24.8)
50–59 years, n (%)1654 (21.7)850 (21.2)8270 (21.8)4250 (21.2)
60–69 years, n (%)1410 (18.5)593 (14.8)7050 (18.5)2965 (14.8)
70–79 years, n (%)524 (6.9)203 (5.1)2620 (6.9)1015 (5.1)
80+ years, n (%)100 (1.3)59 (1.5)500 (1.3)295 (1.5)
Prior medical conditions
 Any fracture538 (7.1)269 (6.7)2153 (5.7)1048 (5.2)
 Vertebral fracture137 (1.8)47 (1.2)170 (0.4)74 (0.4)
 Non-vertebral fracture422 (5.5)234 (5.8)2002 (5.3)988 (4.9)
 Fracture of the humerus, forearm or hip112 (1.5)105 (2.6)429 (1.1)417 (2.1)
 Proximal humerus fracture25 (0.3)32 (0.8)80 (0.2)82 (0.4)
 Distal forearm fracture66 (0.9)63 (1.6)274 (0.7)296 (1.5)
 Hip fracture23 (0.3)14 (0.3)84 (0.2)60 (0.3)
 Fall injury848 (11.2)439 (11.0)3744 (9.8)1753 (8.8)
 Osteoporosis75 (1.0)90 (2.2)56 (0.1)114 (0.6)
 Anterior uveitis1629 (21.4)743 (18.5)254 (0.7)95 (0.5)
 Inflammatory bowel disease468 (6.2)271 (6.8)316 (0.8)160 (0.8)
 Psoriasis230 (3.0)148 (3.7)577 (1.5)265 (1.3)
Medical treatment
 DMARDs2444 (32.1)1233 (30.8)321 (0.8)196 (1.0)
  TNF inhibitors1121 (14.7)527 (13.2)30 (0.1)17 (0.1)
  sDMARDs1786 (23.5)951 (23.7)310 (0.8)191 (1.0)
 Peroral glucocorticoids1325 (17.4)796 (19.9)1212 (3.2)891 (4.4)
  1 prescription516 (6.8)363 (9.1)687 (1.8)532 (2.7)
  ≥2 prescriptions809 (10.6)433 (10.8)525 (1.4)359 (1.8)
 Bisphosphonate*168 (2.2)178 (4.4)118 (0.3)221 (1.1)
 Calcium, vitamin D472 (6.2)489 (12.2)323 (0.8)606 (3.0)
 Oestrogens0 (0.0)448 (11.2)1 (0.0)1533 (7.7)
  • The data are presented as n (%) if not stated otherwise. Prior medical conditions were identified in the National Patient Register within 6 years before start of follow-up. Medical treatment with ≥1 prescription identified in the Prescribed Drug Register (irrespective of indication) or the Swedish Rheumatology Quality Register within 1 year before start of follow-up.

  • *Intravenously administered bisphosphonate not captured in PDR.

  • AS, ankylosing spondylitis; DMARDs, disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs; PDR, Prescribed Drug Register; sDMARDs, synthetic DMARDs; TNF, tumour necrosis factor.