Ab1293 Frequency and the Effects of Spondyloarthritis-Spectrum Disorders on the Clinical Course and Management of Takayasu Arteritis

Background: Extravascular findings of Takayasu arteritis (TAK), a chronic large-vessel vasculitis, usually belong to the spondyloarthritis (SpA)-spectrum of diseases. However, the characteristics of these findings and their effect on the vascular manifestations of TAK are not fully known. Objectives: Therefore, we aimed to investigate the frequency of axial-SpA, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and psoriasis in TAK patients and the effect of these associations on the clinical features and management of TAK. Methods: Patients with TAK followed in 12 tertiary rheumatology clinics across Turkey were included in the study and were evaluated for the presence of axial-SpA, IBD or psoriasis. Demographic characteristics, clinical features, angiographic involvement patterns, disease activity, damage scores and treatments of TAK patients with or without SpA-spectrum disorders were analyzed and compared. Results: Patients (n=350) classified according to ACR 1990 criteria were included in the study. Mean age (SD) was 45.5 (13.6) years and mean (SD) follow-up 76.1 (65.9) months. Thirty-one (8.8%) patients also had diseases in the SpA-spectrum. Among them, 8 (2.2%) patients had IBD, 8 (2.2%) had psoriasis and 20 (5.7%) had axial SpA. (Figure 1) The symptoms of TAK presented at a significantly earlier age in the TAK with SpA group than without SpA (TAK with SpA: mean (years) (SD): 26.03 (7.49) vs TAK without SpA: 31.59 (12.6), p=0.041). Furthermore, a significantly higher rate of biological therapy use was detected in the TAK with SpA group (TAK with SpA: 22 (70.9%) vs TAK without SpA: 85 (27.9%), pConclusion: Our study confirmed that diseases in the SpA-spectrum are not rare in TAK patients. TAK symptoms also appeared earlier in the group accompanied by SpA. However, most patients in the TAK with SpA group had an earlier onset of SpA-related symptoms than symptoms attributable to TAK. More aggressive therapy with biological agents was required in the TAK with SpA group and mostly for the severity and activation of TAK. Our results suggest that presence of SpA-spectrum disorders may cause more severe disease course and earlier disease onset in TAK patients. REFERENCES: NIL. Acknowledgements: NIL. Disclosure of Interests: None declared.