Manifestations Of Spondyloarthritis Research Articles

Assessment of Association between Fatigue and Disease Activity in Axial Spondyloarthritis

Introduction: Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a common disease characterised by chronic inflammatory pain and debilitating manifesting itself most often in stiffness. Fatigue is widely regarded as a cardinal manifestation of Axial SpA and is one of the three most frequently reported symptoms alongside pain and stiffness. This study sought to assess the association between fatigue and disease activity in axial spondyloarthritis. Aim of the study: The aim of this study is to assess the association between fatigue and disease activity in axial spondyloarthritis. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, BSMMU, from October 2021 to September 2022. A total of 48 patients fulfilling the ASAS criteria for Axial SpA were included. Data were collected through structured interviews, assessing socio-demographic parameters and disease history. Fatigue severity was measured using the FSS, and disease activity was evaluated with the ASDAS-CRP. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 24. Result: The majority of the studied patients (70.8%) had a normal BMI. The mean FSS score was significantly higher for patients with high and very high disease activity compared to those with inactive and low disease activity (p < 0.05). A significant association was found between disease activity and fatigue severity (p < 0.05). There is a statistically significant positive correlation between disease activity and fatigue severity (p < 0.05). A significant positive correlation was observed between the ASDAS-CRP score and the FSS score (r = +0.479, p = 0.001). Conclusion: Study results found that fatigue severity and disease activity score had significant positive linear association. Hence, it can be concluded that fatigue and disease activity have significant relationship in axial spondyloarthritis. Further large-scale multicenter research is warranted.

Comparing clinical profiles in spondyloarthritis with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis: insights from the ASAS-PerSpA study.

Assuming SpA manifestations may vary among patients with different inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) subtypes, we explored the clinical characteristics associated with the presence of Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) in patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA). We included 3152 patients of ASAS-PerSpA study diagnosed with either axial SpA or peripheral SpA, according to their treating rheumatologist. Of these, 146 (4.6%) had confirmed IBD by endoscopy and were categorized into CD or UC groups. Demographics, clinical characteristics, treatments and patient-reported outcomes were compared between the two subgroups. From 146 patients included in the current analysis, 87 (59.6%) had CD [75 (86.2%) axial SpA and 12 (13.8%) peripheral SpA], and 39 (26.7%) had UC [34 (87.2%) axial SpA and 5 (12.8%) peripheral SpA]. CD and UC groups had similar age with average of 44.9 (13.5) vs 44.0 (13.0) years, respectively, and a slight male predominance in CD (63.2%) compared with UC (51.3%). Diagnostic delay for SpA was 7.0 (6.9) years for CD and 8.8 (8.1) years for UC. Chronic back pain was the most reported symptom present in 95.4% of CD patients and 89.7% of UC patients. Both groups had similar musculoskeletal phenotyping, with higher frequency of psoriasis (15.4%) and uveitis 28.2% in UC; and higher tendency to be HLA-B27 positive in CD (51.9% in CD vs.s 39.4% in UC). In our analysis patients with SpA and concurrent CD or UC had mainly similar musculoskeletal phenotypes. However, they differ slightly in extra-musculoskeletal manifestations and HLA-B27 prevalence.

Targeted therapies for uveitis in spondyloarthritis: A narrative review

Spondyloarthritis (SpA) encompasses a group of chronic inflammatory disorders of the joints frequently associated with uveitis in almost a quarter of cases. SpA-related uveitis typically affects the eye anterior chamber with sudden onset, causing pain, redness, photophobia, and blurred vision. Ophthalmologists will describe an acute anterior unilateral uveitis. Most patients present with episodic acute anterior non-granulomatous uveitis and retain excellent visual acuity. However, systemic treatments are recommended in the event of frequent relapses (2–3/year) or in rare cases of sight-threatening with ocular complications. The improved understanding of the pathogenesis of SpA has led to the management of this disease by biologics. Here, we review the main data regarding the opportunity to target specific components in inflammatory pathways for the treatment of SpA-related uveitis. These therapies are recommended for long-term control when uveitis relapses occur too frequently despite conventional systemic treatments. Significant benefits have been obtained with the tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors (TNFis), particularly infliximab and adalimumab. Paradoxically, a high number of uveitis occurrences have been shown on etanercept. Mixed results have been demonstrated with interleukin-17 antagonists (secukinumab) and interleukin-12/interleukin-23 antagonists (ustekinumab) in cases of failure of TNFis. JAK inhibitors seem to be a valuable class of medications for these patients in the future. Although SpA-related uveitis is typically managed with conventional local and/or systemic treatments, these biological/targeted therapies may provide avenues to control both the underlying SpA and uveitis manifestations. Thus, a close collaboration between patients, rheumatologists, internists, and ophthalmologists is needed to optimally manage ocular inflammation in SpA.

The effect of uveitis and undiagnosed spondyloarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Delay diagnosis of spondyloarthritis (SpA) is associated with poor functional ability and quality of life. Uveitis is the most frequent extraarticular manifestation in SpA, and its prevalence increases with longer disease duration. This study examines the effect of uveitis on the disease activity and functional outcome of undiagnosed SpA. We reviewed published and unpublished studies. Data were pooled using the random-effects model; pooled means, and mean differences (MDs) were calculated. In the included 14 studies, disease activity, functional index, and inflammatory markers were measured in 2581 patients with SpA with uveitis and 13,972 without. The pooled mean delay in diagnosis of SpA with uveitis (6.08 years; 95% CI 4.77 to 7.38) was longer than those without (5.41 years; 95% CI 3.94 to 6.89). The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) score was the highest for a delay of 2–5 years (5.60, 95% CI 5.47 to 5.73) and the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) score was the lowest for a delay of < 2 years (2.92, 95% CI 2.48 to 3.37) and gradually increased to delay of > 10 years (4.17, 95% CI 2.93 to 5.41). Patients with SpA with uveitis had higher trend of Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS)-CRP and BASDAI. The delay to diagnosis was longer in SpA with uveitis, and disease activity was often higher than those without uveitis. Early diagnosis of SpA with timely initiation of an appropriate management plan may reduce the adverse effects of the disease and improve functional ability.

Consensus on targeted drug therapy for spondyloarthritis.

Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a group of chronic inflammatory diseases that predominantly involve the spine and/or peripheral joints. The clinical manifestations of SpA are highly heterogenous and complicated with various comorbidities. SpA is a disabling disease and adversely affects the quality of life of patients. Many new medications that target cytokines or pathways specific for the pathogenesis of SpA have been developed and they are becoming increasingly important in the treatment of SpA. However, identifying the target patient population and standardizing the usage of these drugs are critical issues in the clinical application of these "targeted therapeutic drugs". Under the leadership of National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), managed by Peking Union Medical College Hospital, the "Consensus on targeted drug therapy for spondyloarthritis" has been developed in collaboration with the Rheumatology and Immunology Physicians Committee, Chinese Medical Doctors Association, Rheumatology and Immunology Professional Committee, Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine, and Chinese Research Hospital Association Rheumatology and Immunology Professional Committee. This consensus has been developed with evidence-based methodology and has followed the international standard for consensus development.

Development and validation of a screening tool for SPondyloArthritis Screening in Sub-Saharan Africa: SpASSS questionnaire

ObjectiveTo develop and validate a screening tool to identify patients with a high likelihood for Spondyloarthritis (SpA) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo).MethodsThe development of the SpA Screening questionnaire in Sub Saharian Africa (SpASSS) questionnaire followed 3 steps: The item generation was carried out by a systematic literature review according to the PRISMA guidelines on the clinical manifestations of SpA, interviewing clinical experts and the classification criteria for Spondyloarthritis. The candidate questions were tested in a population of 50 consecutive patients with confirmed diagnosis of spondyloarthritis, in a control population of rheumatic disease excluding SpA and in a group of 200 non-rheumatic participants, randomly chosen in the general population for question reduction and validation. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed to assess socio-demographic characteristics and response distribution for each item. Their diagnostic performance was investigated using ROC curves. For validation, principal component analysis was performed using factor analysis. Referral strategy score for SpA was determined by adjusted Cronbach’s alpha coefficient.ResultsMean ± SD age of SpA cases was 41.8 ± 14.4 years, 56% were men compared to diseased controls 60.0 ± 12.5 years, 28.7% men (p < 0.001). 14/20 items showed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) between SpA cases and control groups. All items were factorable and 6 components were identified. Only the two first components (C1 with 8 items, C2 with 3 items) showed a significant threshold for reliability in detection of suspected SpA with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.830 and 0.708. All validated items of these two components showed the global reliability threshold with α-adjusted Cronbach calculated at 66.9%. The performance for correctly screening SpA was demonstrated with an area under the curve of 0.938 (0.884–0.991) and 0.794 (0.728–0.861) for C1 and C2 respectively.ConclusionsThis validation and item reduction of the SpASSS questionnaire for SpA might identify patients to refer for case ascertainment and will help conducting future epidemiological and clinical studies in the DR Congo.Strengths and limitations of this study• To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in Sub-Saharan Africa based on local data to develop a screening tool for SpA in the population for epidemiological and clinical use.• Referral strategies based on context-specific data are necessary to provide accurate case definition and epidemiological data, thus reducing methodological bias.• In the SpA group, no discrimination was made regarding SpA subtypes, disease duration, activity and severity.

Consensus on targeted drug therapy for spondyloarthritis

Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a group of chronic inflammatory conditions that predominantly involve the spine and/or peripheral joints. The clinical manifestations of SpA are diverse and disabling, with SpA adversely affecting the quality of life of patients. Many new medications that target cytokines or pathways specific for the pathogenesis of SpA have been developed and these are becoming increasingly important in the treatment of SpA. However, establishing how to identify the target patient population and standardizing the usage of these drugs are critical issues in the clinical application of these "targeted therapies".Under the leadership of National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (Peking Union Medical College Hospital), the"Consensus on targeted drug therapy for spondyloarthritis" has been developed collaborating with the Rheumatology and Immunology Physicians Committee, Chinese Medical Doctors Association, Rheumatology and Immunology Professional Committee, Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine, Chinese Research Hospital Association Rheumatology and Immunology Professional Committee. This consensus was developed with evidence-based methodology and followed the international standard for consensus development.

Smoking and alcohol consumption are associated with peripheral musculoskeletal involvement in patients with spondyloarthritis (including psoriatic arthritis). Results from the ASAS-PerSpA study

BackgroundAn inverse association between alcohol consumption and disease activity and functional impairment has been observed in patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA). However, neither this association nor the influence of smoking has been investigated in peripheral manifestations of SpA. ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to analyze the association between smoking and alcohol consumption and the presence of peripheral musculoskeletal manifestations (arthritis, enthesitis or dactylitis) and to determine the specific location of these manifestations. MethodsPatients from the worldwide cross-sectional ASAS-PerSpA study with a diagnosis of axial SpA (axSpA), peripheral SpA (pSpA) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA) according to their rheumatologist were included. Generalised linear mixed models used peripheral manifestation (or location) as a dependent variable, smoking status and alcohol consumption as fixed effects and country as a random effect. The interaction between smoking and alcohol was tested. Analyses were performed for each diagnosis (axSpA, pSpA and PsA). ResultsA total of 4181 patients were included. In axSpA patients, smoking was associated with a lower prevalence of any peripheral manifestation, and current alcohol consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of both current arthritis and current enthesitis. In pSpA patients, current alcohol consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of current arthritis or enthesitis. In PsA patients, a significant association was found for arthritis with smoking and for enthesitis with alcohol consumption, and current alcohol consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of current arthritis or enthesitis. ConclusionTaking into account the country, smoking and alcohol are associated with a lower prevalence of peripheral manifestations.

Knowledge of General Practitioner’s toward Spondyloarthritis (SpA): A Qualitative Study

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is one of major health problems experienced by 80-85% of patients in their lifetime. Spondyloarthritis (SpA) has become one of the leading causes of chronic LBP but is often undiagnosed. General practitioners (GP) have an essential role in the early diagnosis of SpA. Aim: To explore the knowledge of GP about SpA from clinical diagnosis and early management and elaborate on each GP’s clinical perspective and practice performance. Methods: A qualitative study that involved 12 GP. All was consented to participate in an in-depth interview with the experts by online meeting with 15-20 minutes duration. Analysis was focused on the definition, classification, clinical manifestation, diagnosis, and early management of SpA in primary care. Results: All GP were interviewed (12 GP, 9 men, and 3 women; mean age 29.42) with average years in clinical practice was 3.8 years. All GP could describe the definition of SpA. Only a few subjects are aware of the subtype of SpA. Most of the GP could mention chronic back pain as the main SpA symptom, some GP mentioned extra-articular manifestation, but incomplete. All GP understood the current treatment in clinical practice. Conclusion: GP is aware of SpA, but not all could completely mention the type and clinical entities. In addition, a limited resource for investigation makes a diagnosis of SpA difficult. Current early treatment has been acceptable in clinical practice. A comprehensive understanding of diagnosis and effective early treatment may reduce delayed diagnosis and improve patients' quality of life.

P31 Chicken or egg: Inflammatory bowel disease in ankylosing spondylitis

P31 Chicken or egg: Inflammatory bowel disease in ankylosing spondylitis

Vision‐related quality of life in spondyloarthritis patients with history of acute anterior uveitis under treatment with golimumab: preliminary results of the GO‐VISION observational study

AbstractPurposeAcute anterior uveitis (AAU) is one of the most common extra‐articular manifestations of spondyloarthritis (SpA), causing significant burden in quality of life (QoL). Golimumab (GLM) is a tumor necrosis factor‐inhibitor proven to be effective and safe in SpA. The GO‐EASY Study provided evidence that GLM decreases the AAU occurrence rate in SpA. Our aim is to study the impact of GLM in the change of vision‐related (VR) QoL in subjects with SpA and past or current AAU.MethodsOngoing prospective multicentre observational study (including 8 centres in Portugal) of SpA patients with history of AAU treated with GLM followed‐up for 12 months. We intend to recruit in total 30 patients and we report herein the 6 months outcomes for the first 9 patients enrolled. The occurrence of AAU was assessed in the 2 years before GLM treatment was started and the first 6 months of follow‐up and calculated for the period at risk for a new AAU. VR QoL was assessed with the self‐administered National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire‐25 (NEI VFQ‐25). Adverse events were noted.ResultsNine patients (66.7% female, 100% TNFi‐naive, mean age 46.1 ± 14.4 years (range 22–65)) have completed 6 months of follow‐up. Three patients (33%) were also under oral methotrexate. The mean number of AAU flares in the 2 years preceding the start of GLM was 2.2 ± 1.3 (1–4). During the first 6 months of GLM treatment, the AAU incidence rate was reduced from 1.54 to 0.11 per 100 patient‐years (incidence ratio‐ratio 13.46, 95% CI 2.15–558.00; p &lt; 0.01). At baseline and at 24 weeks after GLM onset, the mean overall index NEI VFQ‐25 total score was 70.2 and 83.2, respectively; improvement in the NEI VFQ‐25 total score was +13 ± 18.2. No significant or new adverse events occurred.ConclusionsPreliminary data from the GO‐VISION study suggest that GLM is safe and effective in patients with SpA and history of AAU, being able to reduce the AAU occurrence rate and potentially increasing VR QoL.

Comparison of Clinical Manifestations in Rheumatoid Arthritis vs. Spondyloarthritis: A Systematic Literature Review.

IntroductionMisclassification of spondyloarthritis (SpA) as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may lead to delayed SpA diagnosis and suboptimal therapeutic outcomes. Here, we evaluate the literature on clinical manifestations in patients with SpA and RA, particularly seronegative RA, to understand the potential overlap, distinctions, and most reliable approaches to accurate diagnosis.MethodsIn this systematic literature review, conducted according to PRISMA guidelines, we searched key biomedical databases for English-language publications of original research articles (up to July 23, 2020) and rheumatology conference abstracts (January 1, 2018–July 31, 2020) reporting key SpA clinical presentations in patients with SpA or RA. Publications were assessed for eligibility by two independent reviewers; discrepancies were resolved by a third. Studies were evaluated for publication quality using the Downs and Black checklist.ResultsOf 4712 records retrieved, 79 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. Of these, 54 included study populations with SpA and RA, and 25 with seropositive and/or seronegative RA. Entheseal abnormalities were more frequently reported among patients with SpA than RA and with seronegative vs. seropositive RA. Psoriasis, nail psoriasis, and dactylitis were exclusively seen in SpA vs. RA. In most publications (70 of 79), advanced imaging techniques allowed for more accurate distinction between SpA and RA. Overlapping clinical characteristics occur in SpA and RA, including inflammation and destruction of joints, pain, diminished functional ability, and increased risk for comorbidities. However, of 54 studies comparing SpA and RA populations, only seven concluded that no distinction can be made based on the SpA manifestations and outcomes examined.ConclusionsTypical SpA-related clinical symptoms and signs were observed in patients with RA, suggesting that misclassification could occur. Availability of advanced imaging modalities may allow for more prompt and comprehensive evaluation of peripheral manifestations in SpA and RA, reducing misclassification and delayed diagnosis.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40744-021-00407-8.

Inflammatory bowel disease manifestations in spondyloarthritis: considerations for the clinician

ABSTRACT Introduction Spondyloarthropathies (SpA) are a group of inflammatory arthritis that can involve the spine and/or peripheral joints. Extra-articular manifestations, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), are frequently observed within the clinical manifestations of SpA and are part of the SpA classification criteria. Evidence of IBD is observed in about 6–7% of SpA patients, and a silent, microscopic gut inflammation, could be present in up to 50% of patients. From a pathogenetic point of view, dysregulated microbiome and migration of T lymphocytes and other cells from gut to the joint (‘gut-joint’ axis) has been recognized, in the context of a common genetic background. Areas covered The aim of this paper is to narratively review the recent evidences on the epidemiology, classification, clinical findings, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of IBD in patients with SpA and to provide advices for both rheumatologist and gastroenterologist in the management of IBD in SpA. Expert opinion IBD manifestations in SpA frequently increase the burden of the disease and represent a clinical challenge, especially for the diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of patients affected by those conditions. New treatment strategies targeting both articular and intestinal manifestations are now available and may lead to a better outcome.

Uveitis-related Factors in Patients With Spondyloarthritis: TReasure Real-Life Results

Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a group of diseases with overlapping skeletal and extra-articular features. Acute anterior uveitis (AAU) is the most common extra-articular manifestation of SpA. The relation between AAU and SpA is well defined in the current literature. Our study aims to analyze the frequency and factors associated with AAU in different forms of SpA in a large nationwide cohort of Turkish SpA patients. Retrospective cohort study. The data were obtained from the TReasure database, which compiles data from records of the web-based Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and SpA patients treated with biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatismal drugs from different regions of Turkey. The clinical characteristics of SpA and uveitis are recorded. Data of the 4,297 SpA patients were included in the study. Overall, 475 of 4,297 patients (11.0%) had experienced 1 or more episodes ofuveitis. SpA patients with older age (P < .001), a smoking history (P=.004), delayed diagnosis (P=.001), longer disease duration (P < .001), arthritis (P < .001), positive HLA-B27 (P < .001), a family history of SpA (P < .001), and radiographic damage (presence of sacroiliitis, syndesmophytes, bamboo spine, hip involvement) (P < .001 for all) more commonly had uveitis. On the other hand, uveitis was less prevalent in patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (P < .001 for both). Uveitis may be the key feature leading to SpA diagnosis. Patients with radiographic damage and long disease duration have an increased risk for uveitis in both male and female SpA patients. Patients with uveitis should be referred to a rheumatologist for a thorough evaluation of SpA.

Is family history a predictor of response to tumour necrosis factor inhibitors in spondyloarthritis? A Swedish nationwide cohort study

Objective: To determine whether a family history of spondyloarthritis (SpA) is associated with clinical presentation at the start of tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) treatment, or predictive of TNFi drug survival and treatment response in patients with SpA. Method: Family history of SpA in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and undifferentiated SpA (uSpA) from the Swedish Rheumatology Quality register starting a TNFi as their first biologic in 2006–2018 was assessed through national registers. Clinical characteristics at treatment start were compared by family history status. We used Cox regression to estimate hazard ratios for drug discontinuation, and analysed treatment response at 3 and 12 months with linear regression. Multiple imputation was used to address missing data. Results: We included 9608 patients. Patients with family history had an earlier age at onset and longer disease duration at TNFi treatment start, but did not differ regarding disease activity and presence of SpA manifestations. Hazard ratios for drug discontinuation were 1.08 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.89–1.31] for AS patients with a family history of AS, 1.02 (95% CI 0.89–1.18) for PsA patients with a family history of PsA, and 1.11 (95% CI 0.85–1.45) for uSpA patients with a family history of uSpA, after adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, and SpA-related factors. Treatment response at 3 and 12 months was similar between groups. Conclusion: Family history of SpA was not found to be associated with clinical presentation at the start of TNFi treatment, nor was it associated with drug survival or treatment response in SpA patients starting a first TNFi.

Lessons on SpA pathogenesis from animal models.

Understanding the complex mechanisms underlying a disorder such as spondyloarthritis (SpA) may benefit from studying animal models. Several suitable models have been developed, in particular to investigate the role of genetic factors predisposing to SpA, including HLA-B27, ERAP1, and genes related to the interleukin (IL)-23/IL-17 axis. One of the best examples of such research is the HLA-B27 transgenic rat model that fostered the emergence of original theories regarding HLA-B27 pathogenicity, including dysregulation of innate immunity, contribution of the adaptive immune system to chronic inflammation, and influence of the microbiota on disease development. Very recently, a new model of HLA-B27 transgenic Drosophila helped to expand further some of those theories in an unexpected direction involving the TGFβ/BMP family of mediators. On the other hand, several spontaneous, inducible, and/or genetically modified mouse models-including SKG mouse, TNFΔARE mouse and IL-23-inducible mouse model of SpA-have highlighted the importance of TNFα and IL-23/IL-17 axis in the development of SpA manifestations. Altogether, those animal models afford not only to study disease mechanism but also to investigate putative therapeutic targets.

Prevalence and distribution of peripheral musculoskeletal manifestations in spondyloarthritis including psoriatic arthritis: results of the worldwide, cross-sectional ASAS-PerSpA study

ObjectivesTo characterise peripheral musculoskeletal involvement in patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA) including psoriatic arthritis (PsA), across the world.MethodsCross-sectional study with 24 participating countries. Patients with a diagnosis of axial SpA (axSpA),...

Spondyloarthritis phenotypes: rationale of evaluation in context of personified medicine

The article contents the analysis of different clinical phenotypes in the most common spondyloarthritis (SpA): ankylosing spondylitis (AS), axial spondylarthritis (axSpA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). SpA polymorphism has been discussed on the basis of multiple clinical presentations, structural lesions, radiological, immunological and genetic characteristics. Role of pro-inflammatory agents especially IL-17 in structural progression has been pointed out. Recent data regarding the link between HLA-B27 antigen, gender and age specificity and different clinical manifestation of SpA are presented. Current algorithms for SpA management based on evidence of efficacy sDMARD and/or biologics in separate phenotypes of SpA as well as resistance to DMARD are highlighted. Authors have concluded that meticulous analysis of SpA manifestation and patient’s individual profile is critical in rational SpA management according to personified medicine strategy.

Psoriatic spondylitis or ankylosing spondylitis with psoriasis: same or different?

Of the four musculoskeletal domains of psoriatic arthritis (PsA), the axial domain is the least studied. With the advent of targeted therapy that is efficacious in some but not all manifestations of spondyloarthritis (SpA), there is interest in understanding the similarities and differences between axial PsA (axPsA) and ankylosing spondylitis. Moreover, there is also interest in evaluating the axial domain in PsA clinical trials, domain that has traditionally been ignored in such studies. This review aims to summarize the current understanding of the differences between ankylosing spondylitis and axPsA. Recent observational studies have shown that axPsA forms part of the SpA spectrum, flanked by peripheral PsA on one side and ankylosing spondylitis on the other. Thus, axial disease is more severe in ankylosing spondylitis, whereas peripheral disease is more severe in axPsA. However, the overall disease burden and impact is similar. The expression of axPsA is influenced by age, disease duration, sex and HLA-B27 status. axPsA has not been properly defined hampering research into pathogenesis, disease impact and treatment. Research to define prevalence, clinical features, impact, similarities and differences with other axial SpA, and treatment is an unmet need.

The use of biologics for uveitis associated with spondyloarthritis.

The term spondyloarthritis (SpA) encompasses a group of chronic inflammatory disorders of the joints, including ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, juvenile SpA and undifferentiated SpA. These diseases can also present with uveitis, or intraocular inflammation, which can be controlled with biologics. Profound success has occurred with the tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors infliximab and adalimumab, moderate success with certolizumab pegol and golimumab and less encouraging results with etanercept. Promising results have also been demonstrated with interleukin-17 (IL-17) antagonists, such as secukinumab ixekizumab or combined IL-12 and 23 medications, such as ustekinumab. In cases of uveitis that require long-term control, biologics are an emerging and valuable class of medications for these patients, and may provide avenues to control both their underlying SpA and uveitis manifestations.