Grant: Catalyst Grant: Post Market DSE - DMARD in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic, progressive, inflammatory type of arthritis that affects up to 1 percent of Canadians This chronic inflammatory disease frequently presents in early adulthood and may seriously affect patients' quality of life. In Ankylosing spondylitis, therapy options are limited, especially for patients with active and severe disease. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, e.g. Naproxen) are used along with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs, e.g. methotrexate). DMARDs work to decrease pain and inflammation, to reduce or prevent joint damage, and to preserve the structure and function of the joints. Unfortunately there is relatively little published evidence to help physicians and their patients choose which DMARDs to use in which AS patients, under which circumstances. Particularly, new, accurate information on real-life safety and effectiveness of these agents is scarce. Our main objectives are to produce preliminary results, with a real-world sample of AS patients, regarding the effectiveness of DMARDs to reduce joint symptoms, and the safety of DMARDs in terms of infection. We will base our analyses in prospectively collected clinical data linked to provincial administrative health care databases. Data collected on patients enrolled in the AS patient cohort include demographics, disease aspects (disease activity and damage), as well as drug exposures. The linked administrative database will provide information on physician services, hospitalization and prescriptions. The main clinical outcome will be measured by validated measures of disease activity, functional limitation, and quality of life. Data on infections requiring hospitalizations will be used to evaluate safety. Our study will provide important information regarding the best drug options in AS.