Patients and controls
Overall, 15 AS patients and 15 healthy age- and sex-matched control
patients were recruited for this study from the Department of
Rheumatology of the First Affiliated
Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine. These patients had
been diagnosed in accordance with the American College of Rheumatology
(ACR) modified criteria of New York (1984)[22]without any prior history of cancer, cardiovascular disease, hepatitis,
diabetes, or other autoimmune or autoinflammatory diseases. An
autoanalyzer (Hitachi 747; Hitachi, Tokyo, Japan) was applied to
appraise erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and high-sensitivity
C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in patient blood samples, and a
questionnaire was used to compute Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease
Activity Index (BASDAI) scores for AS patients. This study had been
allowed by the Medical Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital
of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine (2015AH-20), which was
consistent with all relevant regulatory guidelines. Prior to the
research, all participants were required to provide written informed
consent.