In Ankylosing Spondylitis, Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Is Common
Individuals with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) have an increased risk for developing left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy irrespective of risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to results from a new study.
Previous studies show that AS is associated with increased risk for CVD. LV hypertrophy has also been identified as a strong indicator for clinical CVD.
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For this study, researchers matched the evaluated data of AS patients to 126 controls. The average age of the AS cohort was 49 ± 12 years, and 60% were men.
LV mass was measured based on guidelines and indexed to height2.7. LV hypertrophy was defined as an LV mass index greater than 49.2 g/m2.7 in men and greater than 46.7 g/m2.7 in women.
Results showed that patients with AS had a higher prevalence of LV hypertrophy compared with controls (15% vs 6%).
Patients with AS and controls had similar rates of hypertension (35% vs 41%) and diabetes (5% vs 2%). However, patients with AS had higher serum C-reactive protein level.
Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed AS was associated with LV hypertrophy (odds ratio, 6.3), independent of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.
Based on multivariable linear regression analyses, AS was also associated with higher LV mass after adjusting for various CVD risk factors such as sex, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diabetes, and serum C-reactive protein.
“This finding strengthens the indication for thorough CVD risk assessment in patients with AS,” the researchers concluded.
—Melinda Stevens
Reference:
Midtbø H, Gerdts E, Berg IJ, et al. Ankylosing spondylitis is associated with increased prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy. J Rheum. 2018;45(9):1249-1255. https://doi.org/10.3899/jrheum.171124.