Spondyloarthritis & psoriatic arthritis
Regional Trends and Patterns of Axial Spondyloarthritis in Latin America: A Study from the Espondiloartritis Axial De America (ESPALDA) Registry (2019–2024)
Authors' conclusion
Two clinical phenotypes of axSpA appear to exist in Latin America: a predominantly axial, HLA-B27-positive phenotype in the northern region, and a second phenotype in the Andean and southern regions characterized by greater peripheral involvement and, in the southern region, later symptom onset and worse functional status.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) fulfilling ASAS classification criteria, ESPALDA registry, 3 Latin American regions, January 2019–December 2024
- Participants
- 418 patients
- Exposure
- Northern vs Andean vs southern Latin American regions
- Outcome
- Regional differences in clinical characteristics
Methodological detailsregistry-based, multinational
- Registry-based
- Multinational
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
bDMARD use
P ≤ 0.002 for northern vs other regions
| Outcome | Northern | Andean | Southern |
|---|---|---|---|
| HLA-B27 prevalence | 81% | — not stated in the abstract | — not stated in the abstract |
| Uveitis | 36.3% | — not stated in the abstract | — not stated in the abstract |
| MRI-defined sacroiliitis | 7.3% | — not stated in the abstract | — not stated in the abstract |
— not stated in the abstract
- Northern vs Andean and southern: all P ≤ 0.003 — Northern: highest HLA-B27 and uveitis, lower peripheral involvement, fewer MRI-defined sacroiliitis
- Southern: later onset of inflammatory back pain (median 39 vs 22 years)
- P = 0.01
- Southern: higher BASFI (median 4.6 vs 3.3)
- P = 0.005
- Southern: lower response to NSAIDs (59.8% vs 79%)
- P = 0.001
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
- Median diagnostic delay 40.9 (IQR 12.0-121.1) months, no significant regional differences
Original publication
Regional Trends and Patterns of Axial Spondyloarthritis in Latin America: A Study from the ESPALDA Registry (2019–2024). J Rheumatol. Published 1 May 2026. doi:10.
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