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It is important to recognize inflammatory back pain (IBP) for an early diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society (ASAS) has recently published new criteria set for diagnosing IBP. In the present study, we evaluated the performance of the new ASAS IBP criteria and to compare the performance of IBP criteria sets in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) patients with and without radiographic sacroiliitis. The study sample included a total of 274 patients with a diagnosis of axSpA and 50 patients with a diagnosis of chronic (>3 months) mechanical back pain (MBP). A face-to-face interview by using a standardized questionnaire addressing all the components of IBP was performed. Data about HLA-B27 status and C-reactive protein levels were obtained from the patients' charts. There were significantly more male patients (P < 0.001) in the AS group (68.6 %) than in the non-radiographic axSpA group (29.6 %) and also than in the MBP group (37.5 %). Among the criteria sets, the Calin criteria showed the best sensitivity (91.2 %), and the Berlin criteria showed the best specificity (82.4 %) in differentiation of IBP from MBP. If the morning stiffness item of the Calin criteria was defined as lasting >30 min (Calin 30), the specificity improved (72.9 %), but at a price of loss in sensitivity (82.4 %). In this study, new ASAS criteria for IBP performed almost as good as but not better than the existing criteria sets. Performances of the criteria sets were quite comparable in the differentiation of IBP from MBP in patients with and without radiographic sacroiliitis.

The aims of the study were to assess the health-related quality of life (QOL) in patients with Takayasu's arteritis (TA) by two different generic QOL instruments and to compare the results with those patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and healthy controls (HC). A cross-sectional study was performed in 51 patients with TA (41 women; mean age 38.4 +/- 13.5), 43 RA (36 women; 55.2 +/- 9.6), 31 AS (12 women; 41.2 +/- 13.1), and 75 HC (53 women; 38.8 +/- 10.9). Quality of life was assessed by using Short-Form 36 (SF-36) and Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). Separate dimensions of SF-36 and NHP and physical and mental summary scores of SF-36 as well were compared between patients and control groups. Physical and mental health summary scores and all SF-36 subscales, except for social functioning, were significantly lower in patients with TA than healthy controls. No significant differences between TA, RA, and AS patients were found in all SF-36 subscales and summary scores. NHP scores for energy level, pain, emotional reactions, and physical mobility were significantly higher in TA patients than controls. All NHP subscales, except for pain, were comparable in patients with TA, RA, and AS. Pain score was worse in RA patients. The NHP scores for sleep and social isolation were not different between patients and controls. Many aspects of QOL in patients with TA are significantly impaired in comparison with local healthy controls and similar to those in patients with RA and AS.

Systemic inflammation plays an important role in the development of atherosclerosis (AS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of early AS in patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) that is characterized by recurrent inflammatory attacks of serositis. Sixty-one FMF patients (30 Male/31 Female; 31.5 [18-54] years) and 31 healthy controls (16 Male/15 Female; 31 [22-58] years) were studied. All FMF patients were on regular daily colchicine treatment and during attack-free periods. Both the FMF patients and controls with a history of diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, and hyperlipidemia were excluded. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Serum lipids, C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were assessed. Two-hour oral glucose tolerance test was performed to rule out DM and glucose intolerance. To investigate early AS "endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilatation (FMD%)," "nitroglycerin-induced endothelium-independent peripheral vasodilatation (NTG%)," and intima-media thickness (IMT) of common carotid arteries (CCA) were measured by ultrasonograpy. The median disease duration for FMF patients was 16 (1-45) years. Age, sex, BMI, smoking status, and serum lipids were comparable in patients and controls (p > 0.05). However, ESR and standard CRP were significantly higher in the patients group (p < 0.05). There were no differences in the measurements of right, left, and averaged IMT of CCA between patients and controls ([0.49 vs 0.5], [0.51 vs 0.52] and [0.5 vs 0.51]; p > 0.05, respectively). None of the subjects had carotid artery plaques. FMD% and NTG% were also similar in patients and controls group ([18.2 vs 20.6] and [24.2 vs 22.5]; p > 0.05, respectively). This study suggests that the markers of early AS are not impaired in FMF patients on regular daily colchicine treatment.