Clinical and Demographic Profile of Axial Spondyloarthritis: Insights from a Tertiary Care Center

Background: Axial spondyloarthritis (Ax-SpA) is a chronic inflammatory condition that predominantly affects the spine and sacroiliac joints. Understanding the demographic and clinical characteristics of Ax-SpA patients is crucial for improving disease management. This study aimed to evaluate the clinic demographic profile of Ax-SpA patients attending a tertiary care center in Bangladesh. Materials and Methods: This single-center, cross-sectional observational study was conducted at a tertiary care center in Bangladesh from January 2023 to January 2024. It enrolled Ax-SpA patients aged ≥18 with high disease activity (ASDAS-CRP >2.1) and systematically collected demographic, clinical, and laboratory data. Results and Discussion: This study enrolled 101 patients with axial spondyloarthritis (Ax-SpA). The mean age of the participants was 33.8 ± 10.41 years, with the majority being male (65.3%). Most participants were married (69.3%) and had education up to secondary school certificate (58.4%). The most common first symptom was low back pain (43.6%), followed by lower limb arthritis (35.6%). About 30% of participants had a positive family history of spondyloarthritis. The mean body mass index was 23.97 ± 4.63 kg/m², and the mean disease duration was 8.56 ± 5.77 years, with the average age at diagnosis being 30.74 ± 9.58 years. Comorbidities included dyslipidemia (25.7%), diabetes mellitus (10.9%), and hypertension (8.9%). The distribution of HLA-B27 status showed that 48.5% tested positive, 5.9% tested negative, and 45.6% did not undergo testing. Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into the clinicodemographic characteristics of Axial Spondyloarthritis patients in Bangladesh. These findings reveal diagnostic delay in most of the patients, with some presenting with advanced features. Early detection through awareness is important to reduce patient suffering. It is important for healthcare planning and the development of targeted interventions to improve the management and outcomes of Ax-SpA patients.