Rheumatology

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The colon in patients with ankylosing spondylitis and in normal controls in Bangladesh
Clinical Rheumatology, 10/26/09

Islamet N et al. – Subclinical inflammatory lesions in the colonic mucosa are common in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Colonic mucosa in normal individuals does not differ from that found in western studies, except for the presence of frequent mild eosinophilic infiltration in the lamina propria.

• 28 consecutive cases of AS included
• Fulfilling modified New York Criteria with pure axial form or combined axial and peripheral joint involvement
• 10 controls enrolled in study from people in whom endoscopy of upper gastrointestinal tract (GI) tract performed and had no musculoskeletal complaints and no colonic symptoms
• Short colonoscopy (up to 60 cm) and colonoscopic biopsy done in all
• Demographic data including age and sex similar in AS and control groups

• Of 28 patients, 10 had axial and 18 combined axial and peripheral joint disease, mostly pauciarticular
• In AS group, macroscopic and microscopic lesions found in 4 and 14 subjects, respectively
• Out of 22 subjects without diarrhea, 7 had stage II and 2 had stage I changes
• 6 subjects in AS group gave history of diarrhea, of them 3 had stage I and 2 had stage II changes
• In control group, no macroscopic abnormalities found
• On histological examination, mean diameter of transversely cut rectal glands, interglandular linear distances, number of glands per area, and total digital scores varied between 45–90 &mu m, 4.6–27 &mu m, 5–25, and 17–18 respectively
• In 8 of 10 controls, eosinophilic infiltration found

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Inflammatory bowel disease serologies in ankylosing spondylitis patients: A pilot study
Arthritis Research & Therapy, 11/24/09

An epidemiological survey of low back pain and axial spondyloarthritis in a Chinese Han population
Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology , 11/24/09

An open-source, self-explanatory touch screen in routine care. Validity of filling in the Bath measures on Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index, Function Index, the Health Assessment Questionnaire and Visual Analogue Scales in comparison with paper versions
Rheumatology, 11/23/09

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