Table 1 Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients

45.5±13.0

44.7±13.0

47.6±12.7

0.234

0.145

Female

30.5 % (46)

33.6 % (38)

21.1 % (8)

Male

69.5 % (105)

66.4 % (75)

78.9 % (30)

 Smoking

0.011*

Non-smoker

81.5 % (123)

86.7 % (98)

65.8 % (25)

Smoker

9.9 % (15)

6.2 % (7)

21.1 % (8)

Ex-smoker

8.6 % (13)

7.1 % (8)

13.2 % (5)

 Drinking

0.732

Non-drinker

29.3 % (44)

30.4 % (34)

26.3 % (10)

Ex-drinker

11.3 % (17)

9.8 % (11)

15.8 % (6)

Social drinker

55.3 % (83)

55.4 % (62)

55.3 % (21)

Current drinker

4.0 % (6)

4.5 % (5)

2.6 % (1)

0.009*

Primary

8.0 % (12)

9.8 % (11)

2.6 % (1)

Secondary

47.3 % (71)

40.2 % (45)

68.4 % (26)

Tertiary or above

44.7 % (67)

50.0 % (56)

29.0 % (11)

0.550

<HK$10000

18.0 % (27)

17.9 % (20)

18.4 % (7)

HK$10000-30000

43.3 % (65)

41.1 % (46)

50.0 % (19)

HK$30000-60000

20.7 % (31)

20.5 % (23)

21.1 % (8)

>HK$60000

18.0 % (27)

20.5 % (23)

10.5 % (4)

0.905

Student

7.3 % (11)

8.0 % (9)

5.3 % (2)

Housewife

5.3 % (8)

4.4 % (5)

7.9 % (3)

Work

72.9 % (110)

72.6 % (82)

73.7 % (28)

Unemployed

3.3 % (5)

3.5 % (4)

2.6 % (1)

Retired

11.3 % (17)

11.5 % (13)

10.5 % (4)

0.267

No

18.7 % (26)

20.8 % (22)

12.1 % (4)

Yes

81.3 % (113)

79.2 % (84)

87.9 % (29)

0.588

Low disease activity (<4)

61.6 % (93)

62.8 % (71)

57.9 % (22)

High disease activity (>=4)

38.4 % (58)

37.2 % (42)

42.1 % (16)

<0.001*

Inactive disease (<1.3)

39.7 % (60)

47.8 % (54)

15.8 % (6)

Moderate disease activity (1.3-2.1)

30.5 % (46)

30.1 % (34)

31.6 % (12)

High disease activity (2.1-3.5)

26.5 % (40)

21.2 % (24)

42.1 % (16)

Very high disease activity (>3.5)

3.3 % (5)

0.9 % (1)

10.5 % (4)

 Family History

0.655

No

71.8 % (107)

71.2 % (79)

73.7 % (28)

Yes

26.8 % (40)

27.9 % (31)

23.7 % (9)

 Axial spondyloarthritis

0.078

No

17.2 % (26)

20.4 % (23)

7.9 % (3)

Yes

82.8 % (125)

79.6 % (90)

92.1 % (35)

 Peripheral spondyloarthritis

0.030*

No

83.4 % (126)

79.6 % (90)

94.7 % (36)

Yes

16.6 % (25)

20.4 % (23)

5.3 % (2)

0.093

No

62.3 % (94)

58.4 % (66)

73.7 % (28)

Yes

37.7 % (57)

41.6 % (47)

26.3 % (10)

0.787

No

96.7 % (146)

96.5 % (109)

97.4 % (37)

Yes

3.3 % (5)

3.5 % (4)

2.6 % (1)

0.872

No

64.2 % (97)

64.6 % (73)

63.2 % (24)

Yes

35.8 % (54)

35.4 % (40)

36.8 % (14)

No

87.4 % (132)

85.0 % (96)

94.7 % (36)

Yes

12.6 % (19)

15.0 % (17)

5.3 % (2)

 Inflammatory Bowel Disease

0.994

No

97.4 % (147)

97.3 % (110)

97.4 % (37)

Yes

2.6 % (4)

2.7 % (3)

2.6 % (1)

Depression

0.124

Normal (0-7)

80.6 % (112)

79.8 % (83)

82.9 % (29)

Borderline (8–10)

14.4 % (20)

14.4 % (15)

14.3 % (5)

Abnormal (11–21)

5.0 % (7)

5.8 % (6)

2.9 % (1)

Anxiety

0.407

Normal (0-7)

68.4 % (95)

71.2 % (74)

60.0 % (21)

Borderline (8–10)

20.9 % (29)

19.2 % (20)

25.7 % (9)

Abnormal (11–21)

10.8 % (15)

9.6 % (10)

14.3 % (5)

 Backpain duration

16.6±12.1

15.9±11.5

17.4±12.7

0.540

 Current back pain

0.285

No

22.0 % (33)

24.1 % (27)

15.8 % (6)

Yes

78.0 % (117)

75.9 % (85)

84.2 % (32)

 Tender joints

0.36±1.23

0.40±1.36

0.24±0.75

0.488

 Swollen joints

0.21±1.12

0.25±1.28

0.08±0.36

0.424

 Dactylitis score

0.01±0.11

0.01±0.09

0.03±0.16

0.419

 Enthesitis score

0.23±0.77

0.28±0.86

0.08±0.36

0.158

 NSAIDs/COX-2 Inhibitors

0.892

No

24.5 % (37)

24.8 % (28)

23.7 % (9)

Yes

75.5 % (114)

75.2 % (85)

76.3 % (29)

 DMARDs

0.041*

No

68.2 % (103)

63.7 % (72)

81.6 % (31)

Yes

31.8 % (48)

36.3 % (41)

18.4 % (7)

 Biologics

0.102

No

74.2 % (112)

70.8 % (80)

84.2 % (32)

Yes

25.8 % (39)

29.2 % (33)

15.8 % (6)

BASDAI

3.45±1.91

3.43±1.90

3.52±1.95

0.793

BASFI

2.13±1.98

2.09±2.06

2.28±1.75

0.610

BASMI

4.05±1.63

3.98±1.56

4.29±1.82

0.309

ASDAS-ESR

2.36±0.92

2.34±0.93

2.42±0.88

0.655

ASDAS-CRP

1.63±0.98

1.42±0.89

2.26±0.98

<0.001

CRP (g/dL)

0.76±1.57

0.75±1.63

0.81±1.36

0.846

ESR (mm/hr)

23.26±18.21

23.37±19.47

22.95±14.04

0.902

Physical functioning

75.97±19.90

75.88±19.70

76.25±20.75

0.923

Role limitations due to physical functioning

70.62±25.36

69.38±25.53

74.18±24.84

0.317

Bodily pain

33.64±8.68

33.34±9.01

34.54±7.65

0.468

General health perceptions

54.76±9.27

54.09±9.40

56.73±8.72

0.135

Vitality

53.93±11.51

53.75±10.55

54.44±14.08

0.751

Role limitations due to emotional problems

72.35±23.73

72.50±23.77

71.93±23.92

0.899

Social functioning

48.92±8.92

47.99±8.48

51.64±9.71

0.029*

Mental health

56.17±10.62

56.21±10.76

56.05±10.34

0.938

Physical component summary

38.24±7.24

37.97±7.27

39.03±7.20

0.696

Mental component summary

42.76±5.34

42.75±5.24

42.77±5.71

0.988

Anxiety

5.91±3.60

5.76±3.61

6.37±3.58

0.386

Depression

4.81±3.46

4.71±3.56

5.11±3.17

0.553

Total

10.70±6.59

10.43±6.68

11.49±6.32

0.415