Recently Published Studies & Articles
6/19/06
Enthesitis
Enthesitis is one of the many signs and complications of ankylosing spondylitis. Enthesitis is the inflammation of the site of attachment of ligament or tendon to bone. Enthesitis in spondylitis occurs more often in lower limbs than those of the upper limbs and it is most frequent in the heel. The pain it causes can range from mild to severe and disabling. The ability to treat it lies in confirming its existence through testing and imagery (ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging - MRI) as well as using the proper medication.
Occuring in all forms of spondylitis, advancements made in MRI and the introduction of the biologic medications (TNF-a inhibitors) have greatly increased the ability to treat Enthesitis.
From: Enthesitis
Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology
Volume 20, Issue 3 , June 2006, Pages 473-486
Spondyloarthropathies
Maria Antonietta D'Agostino MD, Associate Professor of Rheumatology and Ignazio Olivieri MD, Director of the Rheumatology Department of Lucania
Pathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis: Current concepts
HLA-B27 was identified more that 30 years ago as a major genetic clue to the causes of ankylosing spondylitis. However, other possible environmental and genetic factors are as yet undetermined.
Everything from immune responses in the gastrointestinal tract to normal flora have been implicated and may play a role as a component in the disease. Additional areas of investigation are underway.
From: Pathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis: Current concepts
Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology
Volume 20, Issue 3 , June 2006, Pages 571-591
Spondyloarthropathies
Judith A. Smith MD, PhD, Research Associate, Elisabeth Märker-Hermann MDa and Robert A. Colbert MD, PhD, Professor
Clinical assessment in the spondyloarthropathies, including psoriatic arthritis
How does a doctor assess the severity of disease in a patient? This article acknowledges that, "the assessment of disease activity/severity in an individual patient remains difficult."
There is no global assessment instrument available. Most of the current assessment tools are designed to measure only a specific aspect of the disease. According to the article, "The debate is ongoing as to whether one should evaluate different aspects of [spondylitis] separately or an 'all-in' assessment tool should be constructed."
From: Clinical assessment in the spondyloarthropathies, including psoriatic arthritis
Current Opinion in Rheumatology. 18(4):354-358, July 2006.
Van den Bosch, Filip; Cryssen, Bert Vander; Mielants, Herman
Imaging in ankylosing spondylitis
X-ray images in order to help diagnose ankylosing spondylitis and to help determine disease severity can be a problem since it can take years for the changes the disease causes to be pronounced enough to show up on a plain x-ray. However, there is hope in the medical community that MRI will help resolve this. Many researches and clinicians have been trying to determine a standard for the use of MRI in various aspects of treatment for ankylosing spondylitis.
From: Imaging in ankylosing spondylitis
Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology
Volume 20, Issue 3 , June 2006, Pages 507-519
Spondyloarthropathies
Walter P. Maksymowych FRCP (C), Professor of Medicine and Robert Landewé MDb, Associate Professor of Medicine aDepartment of Medicine, University of Alberta, 562 Heritage Medical Research Building, Edmonton, Alta., Canada T6G 2S2 University Hospital Maastricht and CAPHRI Research Institute, Maastricht, The Netherlands