Also called: Also called: Rheumatoid spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis of the spine. It causes swelling between your vertebrae, which are the disks that make up your spine, and in the joints between your spine and pelvis. Ankylosing spondylitis is an autoimmune disease. This means your immune system, which normally protects your body from infection, attacks your body's own tissues. The disease is more common and more severe in men. It often runs in families.
Early symptoms include back pain and stiffness. These problems often start in late adolescence or early adulthood. Over time, ankylosing spondylitis can fuse your vertebrae together, limiting movement. Symptoms can worsen or improve or stop altogether. The disease has no cure, but medicines can relieve the pain, swelling and other symptoms. Exercise can also help.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease
- Ankylosing Spondylitis(American College of Rheumatology) - http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets_original/as.asp
- Spondylitis: Frequently Asked Questions(Spondylitis Association of America) - http://www.spondylitis.org/About/FAQ.aspx
- Ankylosing Spondylitis(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/ankylosing-spondylitis/DS00483/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Arthritis Drug Unlikely to Slow Spinal Arthritis(10/31/2008, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_71096.html
- FDA Requires Stronger Fungal Infection Warning for TNF Blockers(09/15/2008, Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/tnf091508.html
- Manufacturers of TNF-Blocker Drugs Must Highlight Risk of Fungal Infections(09/04/2008, Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01879.html
- Diagnosis(Spondylitis Association of America) - http://www.spondylitis.org/about/as_diag.aspx
- Symptoms(Spondylitis Association of America) - http://www.spondylitis.org/about/as_sym.aspx
- Medication(Spondylitis Association of America) - http://www.spondylitis.org/about/as_med.aspx
- Treatment(Spondylitis Association of America) - http://www.spondylitis.org/about/as_treat.aspx
- Alternative Treatments(Spondylitis Association of America) - http://www.spondylitis.org/patient_resources/alternative.aspx
- Diet and Nutrition(Spondylitis Association of America) - http://www.spondylitis.org/patient_resources/diet.aspx
- Exercise(Spondylitis Association of America) - http://www.spondylitis.org/patient_resources/exercise.aspx
- Posture(Spondylitis Association of America) - http://www.spondylitis.org/patient_resources/posture.aspx
- Complications: How Is a Person Affected?(Spondylitis Association of America) - http://www.spondylitis.org/about/complications.aspx
- Spondyloarthritis (Spondyloarthropathies)(American College of Rheumatology) - http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/diseases_and_conditions/spondylitis.asp?aud=pat
- Undifferentiated Spondyloarthropathy (uSpA)(Spondylitis Association of America) - http://www.spondylitis.org/about/undif.aspx
- Spine, Hip & Shoulder Diagrams(Spondylitis Association of America) - http://www.spondylitis.org/patient_resources/spine_diagram.aspx
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Spondylitis, Ankylosing
(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Spondylitis,+Ankylosing%22
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Genetics Home Reference: Ankylosing spondylitis(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=ankylosingspondylitis
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Ankylosing Spondylitis Genes Found(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/News_and_Events/Spotlight_on_Research/2008/Ankyl_Spond_gene.asp
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Role of diffusion-weighted MRI in the detection of early active... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18806131&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Computer aided evaluation of ankylosing spondylitis using high-resolution CT. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18779065&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Efficacy and safety of infliximab in patients with ankylosing spondylitis... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18759257&tool=MedlinePlus
- Ankylosing Spondylitis -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=spondylitis,ankylosing[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Glossary of Spondylitis Medical Terms(Spondylitis Association of America) - http://www.spondylitis.org/patient_resources/glossary.aspx
- American College of Rheumatology: Geographic Membership Directory(American College of Rheumatology) - http://www.rheumatology.org/directory/geo.asp
- Find an Orthopaedist(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://www6.aaos.org/about/public/members.cfm
- American College of Rheumatology - http://www.rheumatology.org/
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Arthritis Foundation - http://www.arthritis.org/
Also available in Spanish http://www.arthritis.org/espanol/
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National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - http://www.niams.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://www.niams.nih.gov/Portal_En_Espanol/
- Spondylitis Association of America - http://www.spondylitis.org/
- Juvenile Spondyloarthritis (JSpA)(Spondylitis Association of America) - http://www.spondylitis.org/about/juvenile.aspx
- Spondylitis: Men's Health(Spondylitis Association of America) - http://www.spondylitis.org/patient_resources/men.aspx
- Rheumatoid Arthritis - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/rheumatoidarthritis.html
- Bones, Joints and Muscles - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bonesjointsandmuscles.html
- Immune System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/immunesystem.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Ankylosing Spondylitis is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - http://www.niams.nih.gov/