Article

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory joint disease that can lead
to chronic pain in axial and peripheral joints and to functional impairments
after several years. Excess mortality has been reported in patients with AS. We
reviewed recent studies of patients with AS who were treated and monitored
according to the improved methods developed in the past few years, without
radiation therapy. Our results do not support excess mortality in these patients.
Long-term follow-up data from patients enrolled in biologics registries will
provide additional information. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of
death in patients with AS, as in the general population. However, the
cardiovascular mortality rate may be slightly increased in patients with AS,
probably as a result of dyslipidemia and early endothelial dysfunction.
Similarly, and as expected, there is excess mortality related to the spinal
disease itself and to renal and gastrointestinal disease. More surprisingly,
alcohol abuse and injury or suicide cause excess mortality compared to the
general population. In the absence of radiation or radium-224 therapy, and
regardless of the other treatments used, the evidence does not support an
increased rate of lymphoma or other malignancies compared to the general
population. In this review, we discuss the causes and rates of mortality in
patients with AS.
CI - Copyright (c) 2011 Societe francaise de rhumatologie. Published by Elsevier SAS.
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Langue : ANGLAIS