INTRODUCTION The pathology of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) suggests that certain cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) might provide useful markers of disease activity. Serum levels of some cytokines and MMPs have been found to be elevated in active disease, but there is a general lack of information about biomarker profiles in AS and how these are related to disease activity and functi...

The aim of the study was to evaluate atherosclerosis in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) through the assessment of morphological and functional measures of subclinical atherosclerosis. Twenty patients [M/F=12/8, age (median/range) 43.5/28-69 years; disease duration (median/range) 9.7/1-36) years] with AS classified according to modified New York criteria and twenty age and sex related healthy contro...

OBJECTIVE The main objective of the present study was to test the interobserver reliability, truth, discrimination and feasibility of two scoring methods available in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) over a follow-up period of 3 years. METHODS Two blinded trained observers scored 95 AS radiographs from a cohort of AS patients. Each radiograph was scored by two scoring methods, the modified Stoke A...

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammation of the sacroiliac joints, spine and peripheral joints. The aetiology of ankylosing spondylitis is still unclear. Previous studies have indicated that genetics factors such as human leukocyte antigen HLA-B27 associates to AS susceptibility. We carried out a case-control study to determine whether the genetic polymorphisms of ORAI1 gene, a maj...

OBJECTIVE To update the international recommendations for use of anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) agents in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis. METHODS The published recommendations on anti-TNF treatment in ankylosing spondylitis formed the basis of the update. A questionnaire was sent to the ASAS (assessment in ankylosing spondylitis) members before the final decisions were agreed upon...

This article aims to compare the risks of depression and anxiety in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) and investigate the relationship among self-reported outcome measures, clinical parameters, and physical variables of patients with axSpA. Patients with axSpA were recruited from Erciyes Spondyloarthritis Cohort. The patients met As...

BACKGROUND We evaluated the psychometric characteristics of the Short Form 36 (SF-36) Health Survey and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT)-Fatigue subscale in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). METHODS We analyzed clinical and patient-reported outcome (PRO) data collected during 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled periods of two randomized controlled tr...

Engaging in specific exercises and physical therapy are two strategies for managing ankylosing spondylitis (AS). In this study, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the differences between the outcomes of these strategies. Data from January 2005 July 2014 was retrieved from the MEDLINE, PubMed, AMED, Embase, and CINAHL databases. Randomized controlled trials were conduc...

OBJECTIVE To conduct a cross-cultural adaptation of the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) into Brazilian-Portuguese language and to assess its measurement properties. METHODS The BASFI was translated by four rheumatologists and three English teachers. The translated questionnaire was applied to ankylosing spondylitis patients by trained observers, and self-administered in t...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW The hallmark of ankylosing spondylitis is acute and chronic spinal inflammation initiating in the sacroiliac joints, often coupled with enthesitis, presenting as chronic inflammation at the sites of ligamentous and tendinous insertions into bone. Peripheral joint synovitis can be a prominent feature as well. Reactive arthritis is a sterile synovitis arising after an extra-arti...