Comorbidity profiles among patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate comorbidities and their association with clinical parameters in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Patients and Methods: A hundred and ten AS patients were included. Disease activity was evaluated by Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), functional status by Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), spinal mobility Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI) and quality of life by Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). Results: Comorbidities were detected in 28.18% of the patients. These were peptic ulcer (20.91%), hypertension (20%), lung disease (15.45%), diabetes mellitus (13.64%), osteoporosis (10.91%), ischemic heart disease (10%), renal diseases (Ig A nephropathy and renal papillary necrosis, 1.82%) and cancers (papillary thyroid carcinoma and renal cell ca, 1.82%), respectively. Patients with comorbidities scored significantly higher in BASDAI, BASMI, BASFI, VAS-pain, and pain, physical mobility, and energy subgroups of NHP (p<0.05). Peripheral involvement  was observed in 27.27% of the patients. The frequency of comorbidities was higher in the patients with peripheral involvement (Pearson X2=54.725, p<0.01). Conclusion: Comorbid conditions of AS are associated with more active disease, functional impairment and deterioration in quality of life. Therefore, comorbidities should be detected and treated earlier in order to reduce their negative impact on disease outcome. Keywords: Ankylosing spondylitis, Comorbidity, Disease activity, Quality of life