Comparative analysis of psoriatic spondyloarthropathy between men and women

This study analyzed gender-related differences in a cohort of patients with psoriatic spondyloarthropathy (SpA) We performed a retrospective cross-sec tional study of 100 patients (mean age 48 +/- 14 years; 63 men, 37 women), diagnosed as having psoriatic SpA on the basis of ESSG criteria. All patien ts were studied according to a standard protocol, and HLA-B27 and Cw status were analyzed in the study population and their frequencies compared to th at of 177 healthy blood donors. The clinical features of PsSpA were compare d between men and women by univariate analyses. Twenty-three patients showe d isolated axial disease (M:F ratio 3.6:1), 36 had polyaxial disease (M:F r atio 1:1), and 41 showed oligoaxial pattern (M: F ratio 1.7:1). HLA-B27 was correlated with male sex (P = 0.002) and isolated axial disease (P = 0.016 ). Univariate analysis showed female sex to be correlated with lower comple ment levels (P < 0.05), erosive disease (P = 0.05), higher swelling joint c ount (P = 0.002), and higher scores on the Health Assessment Questionnaire- Specific for SPA (P < 0.05). The HLA-B27 antigen seems to be a defined gene tic risk factor only in men with psoriatic SpA. The extent of the spondylit ic process is quite similar between the two, although women show poorer fun ctional performance and more aggressive peripheral disease.