Seronegative Spondyloarthritides Research Articles

Pedal radiographic manifestations of the seronegative spondyloarthritides. Part I: Reiter's syndrome

Pedal radiographic manifestations of the seronegative spondyloarthritides. Part I: Reiter's syndrome

Ankylosing Spondylitis, Reiter’s Syndrome, Psoriatic Arthritis, and Arthritis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

These diseases are classified together as the seronegative spondyloarthritides. They are characterized by an association with the cell surface antigen HLA-B27, sacroilitis and spondylitis, inflammatory peripheral arthritis, enthesopathy (abnormalities in ligamentous attachments), and the absence of rheumatoid factor. Extra-articular complications are common. The diseases are usually treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and physical therapy.

Precipitating antibodies to cellular antigens in Sjögren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and other organ and nonorgan-specific autoimmune diseases.

The prevalence of three precipitating antibodies, anti-SS-A anti-SS-B, and rheumatoid arthritis precipitin (RAP), reacting with an extract of the human lymphoid cell line Wil2, was studied in the sicca syndrome, Sjögren's syndrome with rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, various seronegative spondyloarthritides, and organ and nonorgan-specific autoimmune disease. Anti-SS-A and snti-SS-B occurred most frequently in the sera of patients with the sicca syndrome whereas RAP occurred most frequently in seropositive rheumatoid arthritis sera. However, the data did not support previous studies where patients with sicca syndrome had a high incidence of anti-SS-A and/or -SS-B antibodies but had a low frequency of RAP, and patients with Sjögren's syndrome in association with rheumatoid arthritis had a high incidence of RAP but a low incidence of anti-SS-A and/or -SS-B. Instead the three antibodies were present in both forms of Sjögren's syndrome. This suggested a difference in the diseases in the UK compared to the USA, or that these antibodies do not have the more subtle diagnostic specificity that was originally suggested.

Eye inflammation in psoriatic arthritis.

In a study of 112 patients (49 men, 63 women) with psoriatic arthritis, ocular inflammation was noted in 35 (31.2%). Conjunctivitis was the most common lesion, being found in 19.6% (10 males, 12 females). Iritis occurred in 7.1% (5 men, 3 women), episcleritis in 1.8% (1 man, 1 woman), and keratoconjunctivitis sicca in 2.7% (3 women). 20 patients (10 men, 10 women) had radiological sacroiliitis and 11 of these (7 men, 4 women) had ankylosing spondylitis according to the New York criteria. Eye lesions were noted in 7 of the patients with sacroiliitis, 3 having iritis (15%) and 4 (20%) conjunctivitis. 2 patients with spondylitis had iritis (18%) and 1 (9%) conjunctivitis. It is concluded that inflammatory eye lesions are a frequent accompaniment to psoriatic arthritis. This is taken as further evidence for the concept of the seronegative spondyloarthritides.