Abstract
Only slightly more common in men than in women, ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease which, probably as a result of an autoimmune response, causes inflammation in the sacroiliac joints, vertebrae and adjacent joints. Patients also frequently have inflammation of an enthesis (insertion of a tendon or ligament into the bone), the peripheral joints and the eye; the lungs, heart valves and kidneys are only rarely affected. The onset of symptoms — notably back pain and stiffness — is normally already noticeable in adolescence or early adulthood. Eventually, AS can cause the vertebrae to fuse together, with obvious adverse impact on patient mobility and function. To date, the disease has no cure, but drug and physical therapy can improve pain, inflammation and other symptoms considerably; indeed, even remission is now a realistic goal. A major breakthrough in the treatment of this disease was the demonstration of the high efficacy of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-blocking agents [1].
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2009 Current Medicine Group Ltd, a part of Springer Science+Business Media
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Sieper, J., Braun, J. (2009). Introduction. In: Clinician’s Manual on Ankylosing Spondylitis. Springer, Tarporley. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-907673-30-6_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-907673-30-6_1
Publisher Name: Springer, Tarporley
Print ISBN: 978-1-85873-436-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-907673-30-6
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)