Clinical features and prognosis of patients with possible ankylosing spondylitis. Results of a 10-year followup

J Rheumatol. 1988 Jul;15(7):1109-14.

Abstract

Eighty-eight patients with possible ankylosing spondylitis (AS) were selected for this followup study. They showed normal or at most suspicious radiographic findings of the sacroiliac joints. After 5 years' followup, 24, and after 10 years 32 patients (59% of the 54 finally available, 36% of the 88 original patients) had definite AS. In 12 individuals, AS could be excluded. Of the 10 remaining patients, 6 still had possible, and 4 had undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy. A comparison between HLA-B27 positive and negative patients showed a significantly increased frequency of definite AS or possible and undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy (p less than 0.05) in the group of HLA-B27 positive patients. The development of AS was characterized by a prolonged course: radiological sacroiliitis became evident after at least 9 +/- 6 years, radiological signs of spinal involvement after 11 +/- 6 years mean disease duration. After 18 +/- 6 years 25 (78%) of 32 patients with AS still maintained good or sufficient functional capacity, indicating a good functional prognosis in the great majority of the patients.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Arthritis / complications
  • Arthrography
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • HLA-B Antigens / analysis
  • HLA-B27 Antigen
  • Humans
  • Joint Diseases / complications
  • Joint Diseases / diagnosis
  • Joint Diseases / immunology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prognosis
  • Sacroiliac Joint
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Spinal Diseases / complications
  • Spinal Diseases / diagnosis
  • Spinal Diseases / immunology
  • Spondylitis, Ankylosing / complications
  • Spondylitis, Ankylosing / diagnosis
  • Spondylitis, Ankylosing / physiopathology*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • HLA-B Antigens
  • HLA-B27 Antigen