Frequency of peripheral diseases in Korean patients with ankylosing spondylitis and the effectiveness of adalimumab

AIM Peripheral features contribute to disease burden in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). This study investigated the frequency of peripheral disease and effectiveness of adalimumab among Korean patients with AS. METHODS Peripheral disease was evaluated in consecutively enrolled patients with active AS (Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index [BASDAI] score ≥ 4). An adult subpopulation was subsequently enrolled in a prospective, observational study and received adalimumab 40 mg, every 2 weeks. During a 52-week follow-up, AS disease activity was assessed by BASDAI score, and effectiveness in peripheral disease assessed via changes in Maastricht Ankylosing Spondylitis Enthesitis Score (MASES; 0-13), swollen joint and tender joint counts (SJC, 0-44; TJC, 0-46), and dactylitic digits from baseline. RESULTS Of 1161 Korean patients with AS, 178 (15.3%) and 306 (26.4%) had enthesitis and peripheral arthritis, respectively; dactylitis was diagnosed in 28 patients (2.4%). Of 201 patients enrolled in the observational study, 46.3%, 33.3%, and 3.0% had enthesitis, peripheral arthritis, and dactylitis, respectively. Overall, 75.1% of patients achieved >50% improvement in BASDAI score by week 12. Mean MASES was significantly reduced from 2.67 at baseline to 0.85 and 0.34 at weeks 12 and 52, respectively (P < .0001). Similarly, SJC and TJC improved significantly from 2.58 and 3.49 at baseline to 0.80 and 1.68, respectively, by week 12 (P < .0001). Dactylitis was resolved in all affected patients by week 28. CONCLUSION Of these Korean patients with AS, those who received adalimumab demonstrated higher prevalence for peripheral symptoms and, subsequently, adalimumab treatment improved peripheral features of their AS.