Late onset undifferentiated seronegative spondyloarthropathy

Abstract

Objective: To define the clinical spectrum of late onset undifferentiated seronegative spondyloarthropathy (uSpA) based on a large number of patients.

Methods: All consecutive patients older than 45 years at the onset of SpA and not meeting criteria for any of the definite categories of the SpA complex seen in the 1988-1993 period were entered in a special register and were followed prospectively.

Results: Twenty-three patients (mean age at onset 56.9, range 46-72; mean age at the last visit 61.7, range 48-79) were studied. Of these, 12 had 3 or more clinical and/or radiological manifestations of SpA, while 7 showed only 2, and 4 only one. Of the 10 patients with peripheral arthritis, only 3 had the large pitting edema of the lower limbs described by Dubost and Sauvezie. Of the 4 patients with only one manifestation, 2 had peripheral enthesitis and 2 acute anterior uveitis.

Conclusion: The clinical spectrum of late onset uSpA is as wide as in children and young and middle aged adults.