Compared to adult-onset ankylosing spondylitis, those with juvenile-onset ankylosing spondylitis (JoAS) tend to be:

1. Comprised more of women
2. Have less severe lumbar disease
3. Have similar disease prognosis / functional outcomes
4. Have more hip involvement leading to a possible Total Hip Replacement.

Ms. Lianne S. Gensler presented this information at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology late in 2006.

This is contrary to previous data suggesting that young people with JoAS tend to have more severe disease and worse functional outcomes than those who contract ankylosing spondylitis as an adult.

The largest discrepancy between adults and juveniles who have AS is that those with JoAS were more than twice as likely to need a total hip replacement.

For more information on JoAS / juvenile spondyloarthropathy, you can order a free brochure by clicking here (bottom of page).

Presentation Information: Juvenile-Onset Ankylosing Spondylitis versus Adult-Onset Ankylosing Spondylitis: Results from the PSOAS Cohort

Author(s): Lianne S. Gensler, Michael M. Ward, John D. Reveille, Thomas J. Learch, Michael Weisman, John C. Davis, Jr. University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; NIH/ NIAMS, Bethesda, MD; UT Houston, Houston, TX; USC, Los Angeles, CA; Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA

Editor's Note: This study was published in abstract format and presented at the ACR Scientific Meetings. These data and conclusions should be considered to be preliminary as they have not yet been reviewed and published in a peer-reviewed publication such as the ACR official journal, which is entitled Arthritis & Rheumatism.

STAY INFORMED! Stay up-to-date on all the latest news and information regarding AS and related diseases with our news magazine, Spondylitis Plus. Your subscription comes free with SAA membership, so click here to join today!