Successful Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) Inhibitor Therapy in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis: A Case Report

Abstract

Introduction: Axial spondyloarthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that mainly affects the axial skeleton. Anti-TNF can be a therapy of choice for ankylosing spondylitis. Case Illustration: A 33-year-old male patient complained of chronic low back pain. The patient is diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis based on New York Criteria 84. Initial therapy included NSAIDs for six months but showed no response. After we initiated the TNF inhibitor therapy, patients showed significant clinical improvement: BASDAI scores improved from 4.9 to 1.1, BASFI from 3.1 to 1.0, and ASDAS-CRP from 3.2 to 2.0. Conclusions: Patient with ankylosing spondylitis who have no response to NSAIDs should be considered for TNF inhibitor administration. After six months of TNF inhibitor therapy, the patient responded well. Keywords: Axial spondyloarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, NSAIDs, Tumor Necrosis Factor.