Advances in managing ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease with prominent involvement of the spine and sacroiliac joints which frequently leads to significant spine deformity and disability. The development of effective therapies for AS, particularly with anti-tumor necrosis factor agents, has resulted in improved symptoms and functions for many patients, and clinical research increasingly suggests that effective therapy can also prevent destruction in the spine and other structures. Recent focus of disease classification in AS has emphasized that many individuals with features of inflammatory back pain but no visible changes on plain x-rays have active inflammatory disease when imaged with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Recent studies indicate that individuals with "nonradiographic" spondylitis can also respond to anti-inflammatory therapies. Several new agents are also showing promise for treatment of AS. These developments represent a significant advance in the management of this debilitating condition.