Axial spondyloarthritis

Radiographic spinal progression may not tell the whole story, especially early in the disease.

Norwegian researchers looked at the long-term prevalence of inflammatory back disorders in patients with IBD-and identified a predisposing factor.

In which patients with inflammatory back pain, does it make sense to repeat magnetic resonance scanning of the spine?

MRI of the sacral spine may help determine which patients are in need of rheumatologic care.

An anti-inflammatory role might explain why the majority of patients are men.

Inflammatory bowel disease patients can be afflicted by various forms of arthritis from peripheral arthritis to ankylosing spondylitis and symmetrical polyarthritis. In this slideshow, we address identification, diagnosis and treatment for these complex cases.

Inflammatory bowel disease is associated with arthritis. Research suggests there could be a genetic component or the connection could be associated with an inflamed gut. Learn more here.

Speaking at ACR 2016, the current chair of the Spondyloarthritis Research and Treatment Network (SPARTAN) presented data that showed that a combination of inflammatory drugs may inhibit ankylosis, the painful fusion of bones.

Chronic back pain may not be as it seems. Many patients suffer for years before being diagnosed with axial spondyloarthritis.

Retrospective study results indicate that golimumab may be a new and effective choice for maintaining remission and preventing recurrence of severe, recurrent anterior uveitis in patients with HLA-B27-positive ankylosing spondylitis.

EULAR 2016: Secukinumab prevents radiographic progression in 80 percent of ankylosing spondylitis patients and provides sustained improvements.

Many new treatments for axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) have been introduced in recent years. This review summarizes current treatments for SpA.

A study presented at AAOS 2016 finds an elevated risk of complications from total hip replacement for ankylosing spondylitis patients.

The ACR has new treatment guidelines for ankylosing spondylitis, emphasizing strong evidence for treatment with NSAIDs and TNF blockers.

Ankylosing spondylitis involving the symphysis pubis is a rare and very unusual manifestation in male and females. Herein, we present a case of a 43-year-old female with ankylosing spondylitis involving the symphysis pubis.

Breastfeeding could serve as a protective layer against ankylosing spondylitis in people with a familial history of the disease.

Ankylosing spondylitis appears to carry an increased risk of vascular mortality, Canadian researchers report.

A study in PLOS One found evidence that fat metaplasia in sacroiliac joints (SIJ) is significantly associated with spinal progression for axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA).

In one of the first large-scale studies designed to assess the risk of vascular mortality in patients with ankylosing spondylitis, researchers have found that patients with ankylosing spondylitis have a significantly higher risk for vascular death as compared to healthy populations.

Up to one-third of people with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS) have some degree of bone loss due to systemic inflammation and decreased mobility, but lowering inflammation with tumor necrosis factor blockers may improve bone density.

Only 1% to 3% of patients with non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis achieve remission or low disease activity without TNF-α blockers, but these agents are not yet approved for this use in the US.

Registry data show that smokers with spondyloarthropathies have markedly less improvement in disease activity on TNF inhibitors. The evidence also suggests that quitting the smoking habit erases this disadvantage.