Objective To compare patient characteristics and disease burden between men and women with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) in the US-based Corrona Psoriatic Arthritis/Spondyloarthritis (PsA/SpA) Registry. Methods Patients aged ≥18 years with axSpA enrolled in the Corrona PsA/SpA Registry between March 2013 and November 2018 who were not concurrently diagnosed with PsA were included. Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, disease activity, patient-reported symptoms, work productivity, and treatment history at enrollment were compared between men and women using t tests or Wilcoxon rank-sum tests for continuous variables and χ2 or Fisher’s exact tests for categorical variables. Results Of 498 patients with axSpA and available sex information, 307 (61.6%) were men and 191 (38.4%) were women. Compared with men, women had higher disease activity as measured by Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index, and physician global assessment, and had higher tender/swollen joint counts and enthesitis scores (all P≤0.01). Women also had worse patient-reported symptoms (pain, fatigue, HAQ-S, and EQ-VAS; all P<0.05), greater work and activity impairment, and were less likely to work full time than men. Prior csDMARD and prednisone use was more common in women than in men (both P<0.05). Additionally, women were more likely to have diagnoses of depression and fibromyalgia (both P<0.01). Conclusion In this US registry of patients with axSpA, women had higher overall disease burden and more peripheral manifestations than men. Improved awareness of sex differences in the presentation of axSpA may aid physicians in earlier identification and improved disease management.
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