Increased Vascular Mortality in Ankylosing Spondylitis Save

Haroon et al has analyzed administrative claims data from Ontario, Canada and compared 21473 AS patients with 86606 normal comparators matched for age, sex, and location of residence.

AS patients and controls (mean age 46 yrs.) were followed for 166920 and 686461 patient-years, respectively. Adjusted HRs for vascular death in AS were 1.36 (95% CI, 1.13 to 1.65) overall, higher in men (1.46; CI, 1.13 to 1.87) and not significant in women. Risk factors for vascular death were age; male sex; lower income; dementia; chronic kidney disease; peripheral vascular disease; and, among patients aged 65 years or older, lack of exposure to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and statins.