TY - JOUR ID - TI - Raised Inflammatory Markers as Predictors of Response to Anti-tumor Necrosis Factor Drugs (etanercept and infliximab) in a Sample of Iraqi Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis AU - Saif Abdulkareem Raoof Al-Shaibani AU - Nizar Abdullatif Jassim AU - Anmar Abdulwahhab Khaleel Al-Bayati PY - 2021 VL - 18 IS - 3 SP - 241 EP - 244 JO - Medical Journal of Babylon مجلة بابل الطبية SN - 1812156X 23126760 AB - Background: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disorder mainly affecting the axial skeleton, althoughperipheral joints, entheses, and extra-articular tissues such as eyes, heart, and lungs may also be involved. Raised inflammatorymarkers in patients with AS at the start of anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy are associated with more clinical response.Objectives: The aim of this article is to assess the role of raised inflammatory markers in predicting response to anti-TNF drugs inpatients with AS. Materials and Methods: The prospective cohort study enrolled a total of 71 patients with AS. Nineteen patients wereexcluded from the study due to discontinuation of anti-TNF therapy and 52 patients continued in the study and were followed for3 months. Results: The mean age of the patients was 35.2±9.6 years, males constitute 84.6% of them and the median disease durationwas 5 (3–10) years. Univariate analysis showed that the predictors of response to anti-TNF drugs were raised baseline C-reactiveprotein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index, and Bath AnkylosingSpondylitis Functional Index. Multivariate analysis showed that the only independent predictor for response to anti-TNF drugswas raised baseline CRP. The optimal cut point for CRP to predict response was >7.5 mg/L, whereas that for ESR was >32 mm/h.Conclusion: Raised inflammatory markers at baseline predict better response to anti-TNF drugs in AS patients. CRP had betterprediction of response to anti-TNF drugs than ESR.

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