Spinal radiographic progression in patients with ankylosing spondylitis treated with TNF-α blocking therapy: a prospective longitudinal observational cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To evaluate spinal radiographic damage over time and to explore the associations of radiographic progression with patient characteristics and clinical assessments including disease activity in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients treated with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) blocking therapy in daily clinical practice.

Methods

Consecutive outpatients from the Groningen Leeuwarden AS (GLAS) cohort were included based on the availability of cervical and lumbar radiographs before start of TNF-α blocking therapy and after 2, 4, and/or 6 years of follow-up. Clinical data were assessed at the same time points. Radiographs were scored by two independent readers using the modified Stoke AS Spine Score (mSASSS). Spinal radiographic progression in relation to clinical as

SUBMITTER: Maas F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4400173 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature