Objectives: To evaluate differences in radiographic progression between adult-onset ankylosing spondylitis (AoAS) and juvenile-onset ankylosing spondylitis (JoAS).
Methods: A total of 533 patients (418 patients with AoAS and 115 patients with JoAS) from the Observation Study of Korean spondyloArthropathy Registry (OSKAR) cohort were enrolled. All baseline OSKAR data were analysed in relation to disease onset and radiographic progression was analysed between the groups over 5 years. The modified Stoke AS Spinal Score (mSASSS) were used by two experienced radiologists. Clinical data were collected to investigate the associations between clinical factors and radiographic progression. Radiographic scores were compared using analysis of covariance model after adjusting for confounding factors.
Results: Inter-reader reliability for baseline mSASSS was very good. Inter-reader reliability for the changes in the mSASSS was also good. A significant difference in baseline mSASSS (mean ± SD) unit was detected between the AoAS and JoAS groups (18.1±17.4 vs. 14.3±13.8, p=0.015). We assessed the change in mSASSS to confirm whether age at onset affected radiographic progression. A simple comparison revealed a significant difference between changes on the mSASSS (mean ± SEM) between the JoAS and AoAS groups (1.75±0.71 vs. 3.77±0.56, p<0.001). After adjusting for multiple comparisons, change on the mSASSS remained lower in patients with JoAS than those with AoAS (0.28±1.33 vs. 4.08±0.62, p=0.016).
Conclusions: Patients with JoAS had slower radiographic spinal damage progression over 5 years than those with AoAS.