Ab0935 Comparing Clinical Characteristics of Patients With Peripheral and Axial Spondyloarthropathies: An Analysis of the Kuwait Spa Registry

Background: There is limited data available on spondyloarthritis (SpA) in the Middle East, and research so far shows differences in epidemiology and characteristics between Arab and European populations. Objectives: The aim of our study was to compare patient characteristics in peripheral psoriatic arthritis (pPsA) with axial spondyloarthropathies (axSpA). Methods: An observational cohort study was conducted using data from the Kuwait SpA Registry. A total of 119 patients with spondylarthritis (SpA) attending specialist rheumatology clinics in Kuwait were consecutively recruited between February 2022 and April 2023. Only those with PsA, ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis were included. Cases of PsA with axial disease and axSpA with psoriasis were excluded. Baseline characteristics were used in comparative analyses to determine differences. Results: One hundred and three participants were included in the final analysis after applying exclusion criteria. The mean age was 48.6 (12.0) years. Forty-two (40.8%) participants were male and 73 (70.9%) were Kuwaiti. pPsA accounted for 63 (61.2%) cases and axSpA for 40 (38.8%). The pPsA cohort had a higher proportion of Kuwaitis (79.4% v 57.5%; P=0.017) and patients with a family history of rheumatological disease (33.3% v 15.0%; P=0.039). Enthesitis was significantly more common in this group compared to axSpA (36.5% v 17.5%; P=0.039). Those with pPsA also had a lower mean hemoglobin concentration (127.5g/L v 137.0g/L; P=0.002). Being a current or ex-smoker was found to be more common in patients with axSpA (35.0% v 11.1%; P=0.003). These patients were also more likely to be HLA-B27 positive (37.5% v 3.2%; P<0.001) and have uveitis (17.5% v 1.6%; P=0.003). Conclusion: Our results display that certain clinical characteristics differ significantly between pPsA and axSpA patients in Kuwait. This suggests that these two SpA disease categories could have distinct risk factors, complications, and manifestations in this population that can help improve the efficiency of differentiation methods to optimize management. REFERENCES: [1] Taylor W, Gladman DD, Helliwell P, Marchesoni A, Mease P, Mielants H; and CASPAR Study Group Classification criteria for psoriatic arthritis: Development of new criteria from a large international study. Arthritis Rheum 2006;54:2665–73. [2] Hammoudeh M, Al Rayes H, Alawadhi A, Gado K, Shirazy K, Deodhar A. Clinical Assessment and Management of Spondyloarthritides in the Middle East: A Multinational Investigation. Int J Rheumatol. 2015;2015:178750. [3] Rachid B, El Zorkany B, Youseif E, Tikly M. Early diagnosis and treatment of ankylosing spondylitis in Africa and the Middle East. Clin Rheumatol. 2012;31(11):1633-9. Acknowledgements: NIL. Disclosure of Interests: None declared.