Ankylosing Spondylitis
Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is different from Rheumatoid Arthritis but may be understood as arthritis of the spine. It is strongly relates to an HLA B27 genetic make-up which predisposes to joint inflammation following some type of immune stimulus such as an infection. This genetic predisposition has a 50% chance of being passed on to future generations of both sexes but only approximately half of these will show evidence of the clinical disease.
Ankylosing Spondylitis affects about 1 in 200 men and 1 in 500 women. It starts in the late teens or early twenties. Men are more severely affected however the degree that the disease shows itself can vary.
The discomfort is usually in the lower spine. Many arthritis types of condition can also cause inflammation in the eye which is called Iritis / Uveitis.
In Ankylosing Spondylitis patients who are HLA B27 positive, about 40% will have this type of eye inflammation. Occasionally it can affect the heart and, later on, breathing as chest movements become restricted.
Recently a new group of drugs called anti-Tumour Necrosis Factor therapy have been used in patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis and have produced very good results. The two most commonly used are Entanercept and Infliximab. This therapy has the potential to modify the clinical outcome of the disease rather than just managing the discomfort. Tumour Necrosis Factor should be thought of as one of the keystones in the immune reaction. By switching off the Tumour Necrosis Factor immune response, the side effect of inflammation is dramatically reduced.
It will be necessary to repeat the anti-Tumour Necrosing Factor injections at regular intervals depending on how you respond to the treatment.
This treatment has been described as the greatest breakthrough in the treatment of Ankylosing Spondylitis since the condition was first described three thousand years ago.
The decision to use this medication will be made by your Rheumatologist.
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| B08000603 |
