Spondyloarthritis (also called spondyloarthropathy or spondyloarthritides) is a term used to describe a group of diseases that cause prominent joint inflammation, affect the spine and other joints, and share certain other characteristics. For example, they may cause back pain, inflammation of the eye (uveitis), digestive symptoms, and rashes. Some are strongly associated with the HLA-B27 gene. Because they cause many of the same problems and share genetic characteristics, some experts think these disorders share similar causes and ways of causing symptoms.
Spondyloarthritis causes joint inflammation, similar to rheumatoid arthritis. However, in contrast to rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) (see Blood tests) are usually negative in spondyloarthritis (hence, these disorders are also called the seronegative spondyloarthropathies). These disorders include
Spondyloarthritis also can develop in association with inflammatory bowel disease (sometimes called enteropathic arthritis), with or without the spine being involved.
Juvenile-onset spondyloarthritis affects the lower extremities, often affects joints on opposite sides of the body to different degrees, and begins most commonly in boys aged 7 to 16.
Spondyloarthritis can also develop in people with no characteristics of other specific spondyloarthritis (undifferentiated spondyloarthritis). Treatment of undifferentiated spondyloarthritis is similar to treatment of reactive arthritis. The disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)tumor necrosis factor inhibitors or other biologic agents.
