IJCS | Volume 32, Nº1, January/ February 2019

14 Table 3 - Results regarding manifest cardiovascular disease of the individuals with and without spondyloarthritis assessed in this study Variables Spondyloarthritis p value No Yes Stroke No 98.0 (49) 97.6 (41) 0.901 Yes 2.0 (1) 2.4 (1) AMI No 98.0 (49) 97.6 (41) 0.901 Yes 2.0 (1) 2.4 (1) CABG, angioplasty, or PRV/POAD No 98.0 (49) 100.0 (42) 0.357 Yes 2.0 (1) 0.0 (0) ECHO Normal 76.0 (38) 61.9 (26) 0.143 Valvular dysfunction 20.0 (10) 26.2 (11) 0.481 Aortic ectasia 6.0 (3) 14.3 (6) 0.183 Hypertrophy 4.0 (2) 4.8 (2) 0.858 Diastolic dysfunction 2.0 (1) 0.0 (0) 0.357 Chamber dilatation 0.0 (0) 4.8 (2) 0.119 Ejection fraction 0.0 (0) 0.0 (0) - Segmental change 0.0 (0) 0.0 (0) - ECG Normal 86.0 (43) 69.0 (29) 0.050 Right bundle-branch block 2.0 (1) 16.7 (7) 0.013 Ventricular repolarization change 8.0 (4) 2.4 (1) 0.236 Left hemiblock 2.0 (1) 4.8 (2) 0.458 Ventricular overload 2.0 (1) 7.1 (3) 0.228 Inactive area 0.0 (0) 2.4 (1) 0.273 Atrial fibrillation 0.0 (0) 0.0 (0) - Left bundle-branch block 0.0 (0) 0.0 (0) - Atrioventricular block 0.0 (0) 0.0 (0) - AMI: acute myocardial infarction; CABG: coronary artery bypass graft surgery; PRV: peripheral revascularization surgery or procedure; POAD: peripheral obstructive arterial disease; ECHO: echocardiography; ECG: electrocardiography. The results are expressed as relative frequency (absolute frequency). P value in the chi-square test. Silva Junior et al. Cardiovascular disease and ankylosing spondylitis Int J Cardiovasc Sci. 2019;32(1)10-18 Original Article articular symptoms (54.8%, n = 23), enthesitis being the most frequent (69.6%, n = 16). Time since diagnosis ranged from 2 to 34 years (mean of 10.76 ± 8.74 years). The time since symptom onset ranged from 3 to 47 years (mean of 19.36 ± 11.02 years). The AS activity grade and impairment were: BASDAI = 2.84 ± 2.04, BASFI = 3.77 ± 2.82, BASMI = 4.59 ± 2.17, ASDAS-CRP = 2.17 ± 1.10 and ASDAS-ESR = 1.77 ± 0.81. The hs-CRP and IL-6 levels were analyzed in both groups as one of the inflammation markers. The IL-6 showed no statistically significant difference (CG: 4.62 ± 3.41, AS: 4.84 ± 5.20; p = 0.806). Although more elevated in the AS group, the hs-CRP levels showed no significant difference as compared to those in the CG (CG: 2.35 ± 2.21, AS: 16.10 ± 56.85; p = 0.130). There was moderate and positive significant linear correlation between the hs-CRP values obtained and those of ASDAS-CRP (Pearson, p < 0.001; r = 0.657), in addition to a positive significant, although weak, linear correlation between the hs-CRP values obtained and those of ASDAS-ESR (p = 0.007; r = 0.418). On the other hand, there was no significant linear correlation between the other inflammationmarkers and thedisease activity indices assessed in this study (p-value between 0.177 and 0.875). There was no linear correlation between the values obtained in ASDAS-CRP and the CIMT measures (p = 0.932, r = -0.014). In addition, there was no linear correlation between the values of hs-CRP and CIMT (p = 0.625, r = -0.079) or between time since diagnosis and CIMT (p = 0.152, r = -0.225). The lack of statistical significance in the linear correlation between CIMT and ASDAS-CRP, hs-CRP and time since diagnosis persisted even when individuals with and without plaque were separated. In addition, the AS group patients were assessed according to age group (up to 40 years and over 40 years). There was no significant association between age group and manifest CVD. Regarding subclinical CVD, however, the percentage of patients older than 40 years with carotid plaques was significantly higher than that of those under 40 years. Microalbuminuria, ABI and CIMT showed no statistically significant difference according to age group (Table 4). There was no linear correlation between time since diagnosis and CIMT in the age group under 40 years (p = 0.688, r = -0.130). However, there was a significant positive correlation between time since diagnosis and CIMT in individuals older than 40 years (p = 0.049,