Ankylosing spondylitis and seronegative spondarthritis

Abstract

Ankylosing spondylitis is an important cause of back pain in young persons. It is an inflammatory type of arthritis of the spine and sacroiliac joints, a rheumatoid-like condition of the spine. In fact, it was once actually thought to be rheumatoid arthritis of the spine; we now know that this is not so — rheumatoid factor is not present in ankylosing spondylitis, the peripheral joints are not usually involved (though they are occasionally) and the pain responds in a curiously brisk and almost ‘specific’ manner to deep X-ray therapy and anti-inflammatory drugs. Ankylosing spondylitis is one of a group of conditions known as seronegative spondarthritis (a division of seronegative arthritis in general) — see Table 9.1.