Ankylosing Spondylitis Flashcards
What are spondyloarthropathies?
A group of related chronic inflammatory conditions that tend to affect the spine
What diseases are spondyloarthropathies?
Ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis
What is ankylosing spondylitis?
A chronic inflammatory disease of the spine and axial skeleton
What are risk factors for ankylosing spondylitis?
Male, HLA-B27
What causes ankylosis in AS?
Vertebral syndesmophytes fuse with the vertebral body above
What does SPINEACHE stand for?
Sausage digit Psoriasis Inflammatory back pain NSAID Enthesitis Arthritis Crohn's/colitis/CRP HLA B27 Eye
What is seronegative in SpAs
Rheumatoid factor
What is enthesitis?
Inflammation of the site of insertion of a tendon/ligament into bone
How does ankylosing spondylitis present?
Lower back pain and stiffness that’s worse with rest and improves with movement. Sacroiliac pain, flares of worsening symptoms
What can occur if the disease progresses?
Kyphosis, neck hyperextension, spino-cranial ankylosis
What can you see on a X-ray?
Bamboo spine, squaring of vertebral bodies, sclerosis and erosions, syndesmophytes, ossification of ligaments/discs/joints, fusion of joints
What blood changes would you expect?
Increased ESR/CRP
What non-pharmacological management is there?
Physio and lifestyle advice
What pharmacological management is there?
NSAIDs, steroids during flares, anti-TNF drugs, monoclonal antibodies against TNF
What surgical options are there?
Surgery to correct deformities
