ABSTRACT
Introduction: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronicinflammatory disease involving the axial joints. It hasassociation with HLA- B27. Measurement of intima mediathickness (IMT) of common carotid artery has got a directco-relation with atherosclerosis and increased cardiovascularmortality. In AS patients there is high chance of developingatherosclerosis because of it’s chronic inflammatory nature.Thus the study tried to see the co-relation of IMT of commoncarotid artery with disease activity of AS and other functionalindex. Current research aimed to study the carotid IMT(CIMT) in AS patients and see the co-relation of CIMT withdisease activity.Material and methods: 53 patients satisfying ModifiedNew York criteria 1984 were included in study. History,physical examination and necessary investigations weredone. BASDAI and BASFI was calculated. Graphs wereplotted showing the BASDAI and BASFI co-relation with theCIMT.Results: Male:Female ratio was 3.4:1. Mean BASDAI scorewas 4.14±0.92 and mean BASFI was 4.27±2.02. MeanCIMT (average of right and left carotid) of all the patientswas 0.63±0.19 mm. There was significant co-relation foundbetween CIMT and BASFI (r=+0.6411, p,0.001) thoughno such co-relation was found with BASDAI (r=-0.2462,p=0.075). There was a significant negative co-relationbetween CIMT and ESR (r=-0.3602, p=0.008) though no suchsignificant co-relation was seen with C-RP.Conclusion: Our study concludes that the patients with longerduration of disease have increased CIMT and decreasedfunctional index. This suggests that if disease is present forlonger duration, there may be increased risk of atherosclerosis.