Review Article

Year : 2019 | Volume : 3 | Issue : 2 | Page : 44 - 49

A review on ankylosing spondylitis

M. G. Visha, M. P. Brundha

Department of Pathology, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Address for correspondence:

Dr. M. P. Brundha, Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Science, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.

E‐mail: generalpath2015@gmail.com

Abstract

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a long-term inflammation of the joints of the spine which is complex, potentially debilitating disease that is insidious in onset, progressing to radiological sacroiliitis over a period of years. The pathogenesis of AS is poorly understood. However, immunomediated mechanisms involving human leukocyte antigen-B27, inflammatory cellular infiltrates, cytokines like tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin-10, and genetic and environmental factors are thought to have key roles. The presence of inflammatory back pain plus at least two other typical features of spondyloarthropathy such as enthesitis and uveitis is highly predictive of early AS. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) effectively relieve inflammatory symptoms and are presently first line drug treatment. However, NSAIDs have an influence only on the symptomatic effect and has no effect on the disease. For symptoms unresponsive to NSAIDs, the second-line treatment includes corticosteroids and various disease modifying antirheumatic drugs are used.

Keywords: Ankylosis, human leukocyte antigen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, spondylitis arthopathies, tumor necrosis factor-alpha

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

How to cite this article:

Visha MG, Brundha MP. A review on ankylosing spondylitis. Int J Clinicopathol Correl 2019;3:44-9.