Ankylosing Spondylitis
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
Catherine Burt Driver, MD
Catherine Burt Driver, MD, is board certified in internal medicine and rheumatology by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Dr. Driver is a member of the American College of Rheumatology. She currently is in active practice in the field of rheumatology in Mission Viejo, Calif., where she is a partner in Mission Internal Medical Group.
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
- Ankylosing spondylitis facts
- What is ankylosing spondylitis?
- What causes ankylosing spondylitis?
- What are ankylosing spondylitis symptoms and signs?
- How is ankylosing spondylitis diagnosed?
- What are ankylosing spondylitis treatment options?
- Can ankylosing spondylitis be prevented?
- What is the prognosis (outlook) for patients with ankylosing spondylitis?
- What is in the future for patients with ankylosing spondylitis?
- Where can people find more information about ankylosing spondylitis and learn about support groups?
- Ankylosing Spondylitis FAQs
- Patient Comments: Ankylosing Spondylitis - Symptoms
- Patient Comments: Ankylosing Spondylitis - Treatments
- Patient Comments: Ankylosing Spondylitis - Experience
- Find a local Rheumatologist in your town
Ankylosing spondylitis facts
- Ankylosing spondylitis belongs to a group of arthritis conditions which tend to cause chronic inflammation of the spine (spondyloarthropathies).
- Ankylosing spondylitis affects males two to three times more commonly than females.
- Ankylosing spondylitis is a cause of back pain in adolescents and young adults.
- The tendency to develop ankylosing spondylitis is genetically inherited.
- The HLA-B27 gene can be detected in the blood of most patients with ankylosing spondylitis.
- Ankylosing spondylitis can also affect the eyes, heart, lungs, and occasionally the kidneys.
- The optimal treatment of ankylosing spondylitis involves medications that reduce inflammation or suppress immunity, physical therapy, and exercise.
What is ankylosing spondylitis?
Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of chronic inflammation of the spine and the sacroiliac joints. The sacroiliac joints are located in the low back where the sacrum (the bone directly above the tailbone) meets the iliac bones (bones on either side of the upper buttocks). Chronic inflammation in these areas causes pain and stiffness in and around the spine. Over time, chronic inflammation of the spine (spondylitis) can lead to a complete cementing together (fusion) of the vertebrae, a process referred to as ankylosis. Ankylosis leads to loss of mobility of the spine.
Ankylosing spondylitis is also a systemic disease, meaning it can affect other tissues throughout the body. Accordingly, it can cause inflammation in or injury to other joints away from the spine, as well as to other organs, such as the eyes, heart, lungs, and kidneys. Ankylosing spondylitis shares many features with several other arthritis conditions, such as psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis (formerly called Reiter's disease), and arthritis associated with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Each of these arthritic conditions can cause disease and inflammation in the spine, other joints, eyes, skin, mouth, and various organs. In view of their similarities and tendency to cause inflammation of the spine, these conditions are collectively referred to as "spondyloarthropathies." Ankylosing spondylitis is considered one of the many rheumatic diseases because it can cause symptoms involving muscles and joints.
Ankylosing spondylitis is two to three times more common in men than in women. In women, joints away from the spine are more frequently affected than in men. Ankylosing spondylitis affects all age groups, including children. When it affects children, it is referred to as juvenile ankylosing spondylitis. The most common age of onset of symptoms is in the second and third decades of life. Ankylosing spondylitis is often abbreviated AS and has been referred to as Bechterew's disease.
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