Objectives: Patients with nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) and radiographic axSpA/ankylosing spondylitis (AS) have similar burden of disease; however, the potential influence of pain characteristics including the neuropathic pain (NeP) component has not been assessed yet. The aim of this study was first to assess frequency of NeP component in patients with axSpA and second to assess the potential influence of NeP on burden of disease. Methods: Adult patients who met the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society classification criteria for axSpA were consecutively recruited. Patients were evaluated using the Douleur Neuropathique en 4 Questions interview and painDETECT questionnaire and subgrouped as patients with and without NeP. Results: Neuropathic pain component was present in 31.4% of patients with axSpA categorized according to Douleur Neuropathique en 4 Questions (31.6% in nr-axSpA vs 31.3% in AS, P = 0.964) and in 33.5% of patients categorized according to painDETECT (35.1% in nr-axSpA vs 32.8% in AS, P = 0.762). Pain characteristics were quite similar between patients with nr-axSpA and AS. Women tented to have more frequent NeP. Patients with NeP component had significantly higher scores in visual analog scale of pain, patient and physician global, fatigue, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index, Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score using C-reactive protein, depression, anxiety scores, and physical functions; poorer quality of life (QoL); and similar frequency of fibromyalgia compared with patients without NeP component. In multivariable analysis, having NeP was associated with QoL measures (Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life and Short-Form 36 physical component score) and visual analog scale of fatigue. Conclusions: Nearly one third of patients with axSpA may have NeP component regardless of having nr-axSpA or AS. Neuropathic pain component may contribute worsened QoL and poorer patient-reported outcome data and should be kept in mind during patient evaluation.

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of gender on clinical findings, disease activity, functional status and quality of life in patients with axial involvement in Turkey. Methods: Patients with PsA who met the CASPAR classification criteria were enrolled consequently in this cohort. Turkish League Against Rheumatism (TLAR)-Network was formed with the participation of 25 centres. The demographic variables, fatigue, diagnostic delay, the beginning of peripheral arthritis, enthesitis, dactylitis and spine involvement, inflammatory low back pain, BASFI, HAQ, HAQ-s, visual analog scale-pain (VAS-pain), anxiety, depression and disease activity parameters (ESR, DAS28, BASDAI) were recorded. Axial involvement was assessed according to clinical and radiological data according to modified New York (MNYC) or SpondyloArthritis International Society Assessment (ASAS) criteria (AC). Results: A total of 1018 patients with PsA were included in this study. Of the 373 patients with axial involvement, 150 were male (40.2%) and 223 (59.8%) were female. Spondylitis was detected in 14,7% of men and 21,9% of women in all patients. Pain score (VAS) (p< 0,002), fatigue (p <0.001), ESR (p <0.001), DAS28 (p <0.001), BASDAI score (p <0.001), PsAQoL (p <0.001), HAQ score (p < 0,01), HAQ-S score (p< 0.001), anxiety (p <0.001), depression (p < 0,024), FACIT (p <0.001) and FiRST (p <0.001) scores were statistically significantly worse in women than males with axial PsA. However, quality of life was better (p <0.001) and PASI score (p< 0.005) were statistically worse in male patients than in female patients with axial involvement. Conclusion: This study has shown that the burden of disease in axial PsA has significant difference between genders. Disease activity, physical disability, functional limitation, depression and anxiety scores were higher in female patients, while quality of life were better and PASI score were higher in male patients. Therefore, we suggest that new strategies should be developed for more effective treatment of axial PsA in female patients.

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the reproducibility of Turkish versions of multidimensional assessment of fatigue (MAF) and fatigue severity scales (FSS) and the relationship between health related quality of life, disability, and psychological status in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Patients and methods: A total of 21 female patients (mean age 47.14±10.39 years; range 18 to 75 years) who met 2013 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism criteria for SSc were evaluated for severity of organ involvement and symptoms. Turkish version of MAF, FSS, and visual analog scale of fatigue were assessed at baseline and after two to three weeks. Level of dyspnea was noted and disability, functional limitation, and quality of life were assessed by health assessment questionnaire, 6-minute walking distance, and short-form 36, respectively. Results: Ten patients had diffuse and 11 had limited SSc. MAF subscales and FSS had significant correlations with short-form 36-vitality subscale and 6-minute walking distance. Intraclass correlation coefficients for FSS and visual analog scale of fatigue were 0.824 (95% confidence interval, 0.566- 0.929) and 0.932 (95% confidence interval, 0.832-0.972), respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficients for MAF subscales changed between 0.916 and 0.968, except for MAF-timing (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.404). Conclusion: Our results revealed that FSS and MAF subscales had high reproducibility and correlated well with quality of life and disability scales which, to some extent, may suggest convergent validity of MAF subscales and FSS in SSc. The incompatible nature and four-choice answering in two items of MAF-timing may be the underlying reason for trivial relationship with other parameters. The Turkish version of MAF and FSS may be used to assess fatigue in patients with SSc.