Family Med

Your Article Summary

See Latest Articles

Outcome of active disease in ankylosing spondylitis: A prospective study
Musculoskeletal Care, 10/13/09

Martindale J et al. – In this cohort, disease markers in most people with active AS were sustained above the standard threshold for active disease. This has important implications for planning care pathways and for optimal utilization of anti-TNF treatment.

• 89 participants
• Participants with AS, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) scores of 4 or higher were used to identify those with active disease
• Standard assessment tools used to monitor participants prospectively at 4 consecutive 6-monthly intervals
• Participants received standard treatments but none received anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) medication during study

• Median age of cohort was 50 y (inter-quartile range [IQR] 38.5-55.5), the median age of disease onset was 25 y (IQR 18-33) and median disease duration 18 y (IQR 13-27)
• 47 (53%) participants had BASDAI score of 4 or higher on first assessment
• 45 (51%) scored 4 or higher on all subsequent assessments
• 38 (43%) and 16 (18%) participants scored BASDAI 5 or 6, respectively, or higher
• BASDAI scores correlated strongly with BASFI scores
• Compared with 19 (21%) participants whose BASDAI scores were consistently below 4 throughout, participants with persistently high BASDAI scores showed higher scores for anxiety and depression
• Evidence of functional deterioration during the study period

Today in Orthopedic/Physical Med...keeping you current

Receive free subspecialty "5-minute updates" via email

Follow-up of neck and shoulder pain among sewing machine operators: The Los Angeles garment study
American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 12/20/09

Grip strength and cardiovascular drug use in older people: findings from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study
Age and Aging, 12/20/09

Back Pain: How to Avoid Surgery?
British Journal of Medical Practitioners, 12/20/09

 See all of Orthopedic/Physical Med