Hip Pelvis.  2014 Sep;26(3):129-135. 10.5371/hp.2014.26.3.129.

Medical Treatment of Ankylosing Spondylitis

• Moon KH
• Kim YT

• KMID: 2054175
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5371/hp.2014.26.3.129

Abstract

The diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis is often delayed due to ambiguous clinical manifestations and strict diagnostic criteria. However, imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging have been found effective for the early diagnosis of non-radiographic sacroiliitis. New tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) inhibitors have good efficacy for patients with persistently high disease activity despite conventional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug treatment. Thus, early diagnosis and aggressive treatments are essential for ankylosing spondylitis patients. Because many patients complain of musculoskeletal pains, especially around the sacroiliac joint area, hip specialists should be informed of up-to-date knowledge. In this review, we discuss new diagnostic criteria for ankylosing spondylitis, administration methods of TNF-alpha inhibitors, and the long-term follow-up results for patients treated with TNF-alpha inhibitors.

Keyword

Ankylosing spondylitis; Medical treatment; TNF-alpha inhibitors

MeSH Terms

Diagnosis
Early Diagnosis
Follow-Up Studies
Hip
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Musculoskeletal Pain
Sacroiliac Joint
Sacroiliitis
Specialization
Spondylitis, Ankylosing*
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Modified New York criteria for ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

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  Fig. 2 ASAS classification criteria for axial spondyloarthritis. ASAS: ASsessment of Ankylosing Spondylitis, NSAIDs: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, HLA-B27: human leukocyte antigen B-27, CRP: C-reactive protein, mod NY criteria: modified New Yoirk criteria.

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  Fig. 3 Numerical rating scale of Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI). VAS: visual analogue scale, ASAS: ASsessment of Ankylosing Spondylitis, NRS: numeric rating scale, AS: ankylosing spondylitis.

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