On diet in ankylosing spondylitis

.........................................................................................................iii ENKEL SAMMANFATTNING PÅ SVENSKA ................................................v ABBREVIATIONS .............................................................................................vii BACKGROUND Ankylosing Spondylitis ............................................................................................1 Comorbidity in ankylosing spondylitis...................................................................3 Clinical assessment of ankylosing spondylitis .......................................................4 Assessment of dietary intake ..................................................................................5 Diet in ankylosing spondylitis and associated diseases .........................................7 Diet in ankylosing spondylitis ...............................................................................7 Diet in psoriatic arthritis .......................................................................................8 Diet in inflammatory bowel disease......................................................................9 Rationale for studying diet in ankylosing spondylitis..........................................10 AIMs General aim............................................................................................................13 Specific aims ..........................................................................................................13 METHODS Subjects and study design Paper I......................................................................................................14 Paper II.....................................................................................................15 Paper III...................................................................................................15 Paper IV...................................................................................................15 Assessments Assessments of disease............................................................................16 Assessments of dietary intake.................................................................17 Background factors and other specified assessments...........................18 Laboratory performance and routines .................................................20 Ethical aspects ......................................................................................................20 Statistical methods................................................................................................20