Background/Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to demonstrate the predicting factors of spinal structural damage in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) in a prospective cohort study.

Methods: AxSpA patients were enrolled from a single tertiary hospital in a prospective cohort. Baseline data were collected, and 2 year follow-up radiographic data were collected. We analyzed the progression of spinal structural damage in 278 axSpA patients and grouped them into alcohol drinkers and non-drinkers. Baseline and follow up characteristics were compared between the two groups. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis were performed to reveal predictors of spinal structural damage.

Results: Change of modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spinal Score (mSASSS) and syndesmophyte count over the 2 year period were more prominent in the alcohol drinker group than in the non-drinker group (2.7 ± 3.6 vs 1.5 ± 2.8, P=0.007, 0.9 ± 1.3 vs 0.4 ± 1.2, P=0.003). The alcohol drinker group showed more frequent significant mSASSS changes (≥2 units for 2 years follow up) and new syndesmophyte/progression of pre-existing syndesmophyte than the non-drinker group (60.7% vs 29.2%, P< 0.001, 51.5% vs 26.4%, P< 0.001, respectively). On univariable and multivariable regression analysis, drinking alcohol showed a significant relationship with the progression of spinal structural damage for both mSASSS and syndesmophyte progression.

Conclusion: The present study showed that alcohol consumption could predict progression of spinal structural damage in axSpA. This is meaningful because drinking alcohol is a modifiable behavior and education on alcohol consumption could aid in attenuating spinal structural damage in axSpA.

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ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/alcohol-consumption-as-a-predictor-of-the-progression-of-spinal-structural-damage-in-axial-spondyloarthritis-data-from-the-catholic-axial-spondyloarthritis-cohort-casco/