Recently Published Articles in AS Research
7/17/06
A number of new studies and articles regarding ankylosing spondylitis research have been published this last month in various medical journals. Below are three that we are highlighting this week.
Ankylosing Spondylitis and Bowel Disease
The link between bowel disease and ankylosing spondylitis has been documented, but is still under investigation. That said, the article states that between "5 and 10% of cases of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) are associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), either Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis." The article also states that many people with AS have gut inflammation present without symptoms, but is detected by tests or by the person's medical history.
Treatment of AS with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) when IBD is present can be problematic, since NSAIDs can cause problems in the gastrointestinal tract. Thus, the article concludes that the TNF-a blocker, infliximab (Remicade) is the "drug of choice" for treating active AS in association with IBD. One reason for this is that Remicade is approved by the FDA for treating both conditions.
Martin Rudwaleit MD, Dominique Baeten MD, PhD. Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology; Volume 20, Issue 3 , June 2006, Pages 451-471
Link to abstract: Click here
Radiographic and Clinical Outcome in Early Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis and Spondyloarthropathy: A 3-Year Perspective Study
Radiographic and Clinical Outcome in Early Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis and Spondyloarthropathy: A 3-Year Perspective Study
Predicting the progression of spondylitis is difficult since the disease outcome varies greatly from person to person. In this study, the researchers tried to find indicators to assess the disease's progression when it is diagnosed in children.
The study concluded that a younger age of onset and more affected joints were strong predictors of continued disease progression of ankylosing spondylitis after 3 years.
ANNE M. SELVAAG et al. J Rheumatol 2006;33:1382–91
Link to abstract: Click here
Management of Infusion Reactions to Infliximab in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis or Spondyloarthritis: Experience from an Immunotherapy Unit of Rheumatology
Different people react to different medications in different ways and researchers are constantly reviewing and re-reviewing treatments in order to improve them and examine their effectiveness.
In this article, the authors examine how to properly manage "acute reactions" [side effects] while being given an infusion of remicade. Out of the 203 people given remicade in the study, 23 had acute reactions. However, by halting the infusion and treating the reaction or by slowing the infusion rate (on a case by case basis), the study concluded that "infliximab [Remicade] could be maintained with great efficacy on disease activity in every patient with an acute infusion reaction."
THIERRY LEQUERRÉ et al. J Rheumatol 2006;33:1307–14
Link to abstract: Click here