To evaluate the clinical, psychological, inflammatory, and functional determinants of patient and physician global assessments in patients with radiographic axial spondyloarthritis.
Approach:
Study Design: Cross-sectional observational study conducted between August 2025 and October 2025 with 155 patients fulfilling modified New York criteria for axial spondyloarthritis.
Data Collection: Prospective data collection included demographic data, patient-reported outcomes, physician assessments, and laboratory parameters.
Statistical Analysis: Used IBM SPSS for statistical analyses, including Spearman’s rank correlation and multivariate linear regression.
Key Findings:
Patient global assessment (PtGA) and physician global assessment (PhGA) reflect distinct clinical domains.
Discrepancies between PtGA and PhGA may indicate different underlying factors rather than mere discordance.
Psychological factors significantly influence PtGA, while PhGA is more closely linked to objective inflammatory and structural parameters.
Interpretation:
Clarifying the domain-specific drivers of PtGA and PhGA may contribute to more nuanced clinical decision-making.
Limitations:
Exclusion of patients with psychiatric or neurological disorders may limit generalizability.
Data collection was cross-sectional, which may not capture changes over time.
Conclusion:
Understanding the distinct influences on PtGA and PhGA can enhance individualized management strategies in axial spondyloarthritis.
