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Table 1 Types of data extracted and categories which individual codes were mapped to

From: Clinical features in primary care electronic records before diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis: a nested case-control study

Data type

Data type categories

Spinal symptoms and disorders

Axial pain

Other spinal diagnoses e.g.cervical spondylosis, mechanical back pain

Sciaticaa

Musculoskeletal and AS- related features

Enthesopathy and other tendon disorders

Large joint symptoms / disorders e.g. knee pain

Other joint symptoms / disorders e.g. foot pain

Iritis

Urethral symptoms

Fatigue

Other related disorders

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory Arthritis (including psoriatic arthropathy)

Diagnostic tests and procedures

Full blood count

Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)

Thyroid Functionb

X-ray (spine / pelvis)

Computerised Tomography

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Treatments

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

Analgesics (up to codeine)

Opioids (tramadol and more potent)

Tricyclic antidepressantsc

Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRI)d

  1. aSciatica included to look for back pain in absence of sciatica
  2. bThyroid function included as used in non-specific / fatigue work up
  3. cTricylics are typically prescribed for chronic pain rather than for depression
  4. dSSRIs are typically prescribed for anxiety or depression rather than for chronic pain