Spondyloarthropathies and ankylosing spondylitis

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Spondyloarthropathies and ankylosing spondylitis

Spondyloarthropathies (say "spon-dill-o-ar-THROP-a-thees") are a family of arthritis diseases. Characteristics of spondyloarthropathies include the following:

• They affect areas around the joint where ligaments and tendons attach to bone (entheses) rather than the lining of the joint (synovium).
• They often involve the attachments between the low back and the pelvis (sacroiliac joint).
• They have a strong genetic association with a particular gene, HLA-B27, that is often present in people with ankylosing spondylitis. These conditions are more likely to run in families than other forms of rheumatic disease, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.

All of the spondyloarthropathies have similar characteristics, although each type has unique features and prognoses. Specific forms of spondyloarthropathies include:

• Ankylosing spondylitis.
• Reactive arthritis (Reiter's syndrome).
• Psoriatic arthritis.
• Joint problems associated with inflammatory bowel disease (enteropathic arthritis)

Spondyloarthropathies are often mild and may be undiagnosed for many years. Many people do not have difficulty with daily activities, even after several years of the disease process. Treatment focuses on relieving pain and stiffness and on good posture and stretching of the affected areas to prevent stiffening and deformity. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used to treat pain and inflammation associated with spondyloarthropathies.

Credits

Last updated:	May 18, 2007
Author:	Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH
Reviewed By:	E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine, Stanford M. Shoor, MD - Rheumatology
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC