What is ankylosing spondylitis?

Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis that affects the joints in spine, but can also affect other joints. The condition is characterized by pain and stiffness in the lower back. Over time, the joints in the spine can fuse together and affect flexibility, breathing and posture.

The most common early symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis are mild or moderate back or hip pain, which occurs most often in the morning. There also may be pain in the vertebrae of the back, in the hip and shoulder joints, and in the cartilage located between the breastbone and ribs. In addition, pain can occur where the tendons and ligaments connect in the back. Pain can also occur in the ribs, knees and feet.

Although the cause of ankylosing spondylitis is unknown, it is believed that genetics may play a factor. The genetic marker HLA-B27 has been associated with ankylosing spondylitis, in that 95% of people with the disease have this protein. However, not everyone with ankylosing spondylitis has the protein, and many people who have this genetic marker do not develop the disease. Twice as many men develop ankylosing spondylitis as women, and the condition most commonly develops in the teenage or early adult years.

Some signs of ankylosing spondylitis include acute eye inflammation (uveitis), compression fractures of the vertebrae in the spine, and an inflamed aorta in the heart. To diagnose ankylosing spondylitis, a doctor will use X-ray or MRI scans to examine changes in your bones to evaluate whether treatment is needed.

Treatment for ankylosing spondylitis focuses on managing pain and stiffness with NSAIDs and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. A doctor may also recommend anti-tumor necrosis factor drugs in place of NSAIDs to provide anti-inflammatory relief, as well as corticosteroid injections into an affected joint or tendon, or joint replacement surgery in the most severe cases to relieve pain.

References:

niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Ankylosing_Spondylitis/ankylosing_spondylitis_ff.asp

www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/ankylosing-spondylitis

www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ankylosing-spondylitis/basics/definition/CON-20019766