Ankylosing spondylitis causes painful inflammation of the skeleton and large joints. Many medicines have been successful in controlling the symptoms. New approaches are expected to improve the lives of patients with this disease.
Disease: Ankylosing Spondylitis
Last update: June 2006
Intro
FAQ
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What is it?
Ankylosing spondylitis is a disease that causes painful inflammation of the joints, ligaments and tendons in the spine, the hip and the extremities. It commonly causes back pain and stiffness. Ultimately, the bones in the spine can fuse together, which can result in deformity. -
Who gets it?
About 1.5 million people within the European Union are affected by the condition. It is five times more common in men than in women and is 10 to 20 times more common in people who are close relatives of people with the disease. A high prevalence of a human leukocyte antigen supports a genetic predisposition. -
What can be done about it?
Various medicines can be used to relieve joint pain. These include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines and agents called corticosteroids. The use of these drugs for long periods or in patients with risk factors should be approached cautiously. Recently, newer treatments have been developed which act to slow the progression of the disease. These work by inhibiting the effects of a crucial molecule called tumour necrosis factor-alpha which is involved in the process of inflammation. -
What does the future hold?
As our understanding grows, pharmaceutical researchers are investigating new proteins, antibodies and small molecules which inhibit TNF-alpha and other molecules involved in the inflammatory process.