Rheumatoid Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis(Archived)

Excerpt

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) are among the most common rheumatic diseases. These chronic progressive inflammatory diseases lead to a reduction in physical fitness and an increase in joint degeneration. Although they are very closely related, their symptomatology and etiology differ. In the past, AS was often diagnosed inaccurately as RA, but the two have recently been recognized as separate, distinct clinical entities. The latter has been attributed to advancing diagnostic and laboratory techniques that differentiate the two conditions. Diagnostic differentiation remains a challenging task for clinicians.

The presenting symptoms, radiographic characteristics, and serological testing can similarly characterize RA and AS. However, RA and AS have widely different characteristics, with distinct pathophysiology and underlying genetic parameters for each. This makes the probability of a patient having both conditions rather low. The diagnosis can be challenging because the two have similar clinical manifestations, such as changes in radiography or peripheral/morning stiffness, and more tests may be required to establish the correct etiology. Furthermore, the authors have reported cases of coexisting AS and RA since 1976.