Key result
Ankylosing spondylitis shows no significant increase in moderate to severe aortic regurgitation versus controls.
Why the study?
Aortic regurgitation has historically been regarded as a serious complication of ankylosing spondylitis, but it is rarely observed in clinical practice, prompting evaluation of its prevalence and severity.
Cross-Sectional (n=776)
No
Absolute Event Rate: 0.8% vs 0%
p-value: p=0.08
Moderate to severe valvular regurgitation, particularly aortic regurgitation, is uncommon in patients with ankylosing spondylitis, challenging historical perspectives that it is a frequent and lethal complication.
Low AR prevalence in AS supports no routine screening; leaves open need for prospective outcome studies in TNF-naïve cohorts.
Although aortic regurgitation (AR) has historically been regarded as a serious complication of ankylosing spondylitis, it is rarely observed in clinical practice. This study evaluated the prevalence and severity of valvular regurgitation in ankylosing spondylitis. A total of 388 consecutive, tumor necrosis factor inhibitor-naïve ankylosing spondylitis patients were enrolled. All underwent echocardiography to assess valvular regurgitation, stenosis, and calcification, alongside collection of clinical data. The mean age of the patients with ankylosing spondylitis was 37.2 ± 13.6 years with a disease duration of 91.2 ± 99.1 months. Moderate to severe valvular regurgitation was found in five patients with ankylosing spondylitis [1 with severe AR, 2 with moderate AR, 2 with moderate mitral regurgitation (MR), and 1 with severe tricuspid regurgitation(TR)], but not in HC subjects (AR: p = 0.08; MR: p = 0.16; TR: p = 0.32). AR was detected in 0.8% patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Patients with an older age and a longer disease duration were prone to experiencing valvular regurgitation. Affected patients showed lower hemoglobin levels, higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels, and increased left ventricular dimensions. Valvular regurgitation, particularly AR, is uncommon in ankylosing spondylitis, and severe or life-threatening cases are rare.
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Wang et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Ankylosing spondylitis (n=776). Ankylosing spondylitis vs. Healthy controls was evaluated on Moderate to severe aortic regurgitation (p=0.08). Moderate to severe aortic regurgitation was detected in only 0.8% of patients with ankylosing spondylitis, a rate not significantly different from healthy controls (p=0.08).
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