Changes in ankylosing spondylitis incidence, prevalence and time to diagnosis over two decades.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To assess changes in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) incidence, prevalence and time to diagnosis, between 1998 and 2017.

Methods

Using UK GP data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, we identified patients diagnosed with AS between 1998 and 2017. We estimated the annual AS incidence, prevalence and length of time from first recorded symptom of back pain to rheumatology referral and diagnosis.

Results

We identified 12 333 patients with AS. The incidence declined from 0.72 (±0.14) per 10 000 patient-years in 1998 to 0.39 (±0.06) in 2007, with this decline significant only in men, then incidence rose to 0.57 (±0.11) in 2017. By contrast, prevalence increased between 1998 and 2017 (from 0.13%±0.006 to 0.18%±0.006), rising steeply among women (from 0.06%±0.

SUBMITTER: Crossfield SSR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8663075 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature