Trisha Shetty (Editor)

Spondyloarthropathy

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Specialty
  
rheumatology

ICD-10
  
M40–M54

ICD-9-CM
  
720, 721, 722, 723, 724

Spondyloarthropathy or spondyloarthrosis refers to any joint disease of the vertebral column. As such, it is a class or category of diseases rather than a single, specific entity. It differs from spondylopathy, which is a disease of the vertebra itself. However, many conditions involve both spondylopathy and spondyloarthropathy.

Contents

Spondyloarthropathy with inflammation is called axial spondyloarthritis. In the broadest sense, the term spondyloarthropathy includes joint involvement of vertebral column from any type of joint disease, including rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, but the term is often used for a specific group of disorders with certain common features, the group often being termed specifically seronegative spondylarthropathies. They have an increased incidence of HLA-B27, as well as negative rheumatoid factor and ANA. Enthesopathy is also sometimes present in association with seronegative.spondarthritides

Non vertebral signs and symptoms of degenerative or other not-directly-infected inflamation, in the manner of spondyloarthropathies, include asymmetric peripheral arthritis (which is distinct from rheumatoid arthritis), arthritis of the toe interphalangeal joints, sausage digits, Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, costochondritis, iritis, and mucocutaneous lesions. However, lower back pain is the most common clinical presentation of the causes of spondyloarthropoathies; this back pain is unique because it decreases with activity.

Seronegative spondyloarthropathy

Seronegative spondyloarthropathy (or seronegative spondyloarthritis) is a group of diseases involving the axial skeleton and having a negative serostatus.

"Seronegative" refers to the fact that these diseases are negative for rheumatoid factor, indicating a different pathophysiological mechanism of disease than what is commonly seen in rheumatoid arthritis.

Conditions

The following conditions are typically included within the group of seronegative spondylarthropathies:

Some sources also include Behcet's disease and Whipple's disease.

Common characteristics

These diseases have the following conditions in common:

  • Seronegative (i.e. rheumatoid factor is not present)
  • They are in relation to HLA-B27
  • Inflammatory axial arthritis, generally sacroiliitis and spondylitis
  • Oligoarthritis, generally with asymmetrical presentation
  • Enthesitis (inflammation of the entheses, the sites where tendons or ligaments insert into the bone.), e.g. Plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, costochondritis.
  • familial aggregation occurs
  • Extra-articular features, such as involvement of eyes (anterior uveitis), skin, genitourinary tract, and aortic regurgitation
  • Overlap is likely between several of the causative conditions
  • Classification

    Assessment of Spondylarthritis International Society (ASAS criteria) is used for classification of axial spondyloarthritis (to be applied for patients with back pain greater than or equal to 3 months and age of onset less than 45 years). It is of two broad types:

    1. Sacroiliitis on imaging plus 1 SpA feature, or
    2. HLA-B27 plus 2 other SpA features

    Sacroiliitis on imaging:

  • Active (acute) inflammation on MRI highly suggestive of SpA-associated sacroiliitis and/or
  • Definite radiographic sacroiliitis
  • SpA features:

  • Inflammatory back pain
  • Arthritis
  • Enthesitis
  • Anterior uveitis
  • Dactylitis
  • Psoriasis
  • Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis
  • Good response to NSAIDs
  • Family history of SpA
  • HLA-B27
  • Elevated CRP
  • Epidemiology

    Worldwide prevalence of spondyloarthropathy is approximately 1.9%.

    References

    Spondyloarthropathy Wikipedia