Ana Pena, PhD,  —

Problems in spinal mobility are common in people living with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) for more than 10 years, a Swedish study shows. The most prevalent problem is difficulty in bending the spine sideways, which associates with worse mobility problems later on. The study, “Long‐term spinal mobility in ankylosing…

Having ankylosing spondylitis more than doubles the risk of developing depression, and the presence of additional chronic conditions exacerbates this risk, a South Korean population-based study reports. Older female patients and those with a low household income were also found to be more susceptible to depression. These findings were…

Reducing the dose of TNF blockers by about half is nearly as effective as the standard dose taken by ankylosing spondylitis patients who are in stable remission, a clinical trial shows. Reducing dosage could also potentially reduce side effects. The study, “Non-inferiority of…

Anti-TNF alpha therapy is able to significantly restore ankylosing spondylitis patients’ capacity to exercise after a treatment period of four months, a small study suggests. After treatment, patients in the study improved in objective measures of cardiorespiratory fitness, such as peak oxygen uptake during exercise, maximum work…

Filgotinib, an investigational therapy for ankylosing spondylitis, was able to significantly reduce disease activity, according to recent Phase 2 study results announced by Gilead Sciences and Galapagos biotech companies. The TORTUGA trial reached its primary efficacy endpoint,…

Higher levels of fatigue are related to the degree of disability at work among ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients treated with the biologic therapy Enbrel (etanercept), an observational study shows. The study, “…

Women with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) report more severe disease and a poorer quality of life than men, but note comparable improvements in health after starting treatment with TNF inhibitors, a study suggests. Women switch their anti-TNF medications more often, but male patients have a faster spinal deterioration,…

A mutation considered to be a risk factor for ankylosing spondylitis has now been questioned in a new large population study. The study, “Imputation-based analysis of MICA alleles in the susceptibility to ankylosing spondylitis,…

Male sex, older age at diagnosis, and the presence of certain symptoms are all risk factors for overall disability in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a study from South Korea reported. The study, “Comorbidity, disability, and healthcare expenditure…

Therapy with anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) is highly effective in people with ankylosing spondylitis. But researchers suggest that patients whose treatment lost its effectiveness or resulted in adverse events can benefit from switching anti-TNF therapies. These are the conclusions of a review study, “…