Xeljanz (tofacitinib) treatment led to significant reductions in spinal inflammation in people with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), according to analyses from a Phase 2 trial. Reductions were seen in the posterolateral spine and facet joints, which are commonly affected in AS and represent important treatment targets, but are often…
Genetic analyses revealed a number of genes with altered activity in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients compared with healthy people, which researchers believe could serve as novel disease biomarkers. Among them, the PPARG and MDM2 genes — both of which are involved in inflammation — were found to hold the…
One year of treatment with Cosentyx (secukinumab) showed safety and efficacy in a real-world study conducted in Italy, lowering disease activity among people with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Men were overall more likely than women to achieve disease remission after a year of treatment. “This…
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients 65 and older may be at an increased risk of certain blood cancers compared with older adults in the general population, according to a recent study. The risk for these cancers, however, was similar among AS patients and people with another inflammatory condition called inflammatory…
The biotech company Girihlet will collaborate with Mayo Clinic to develop an algorithm that evaluates the effects of immune-suppressing treatments in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), Girihlet announced. Under the so-called “know-how agreement,” Girihlet will use its proprietary ImmuneScanner technology to monitor changes in immune T-cells…
Platelet counts and blood levels of inflammatory proteins interleukin-23 (IL-23) and interleukin-17 (IL-17) were identified as the strongest potential non-genetic biomarkers of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in a recent umbrella review study. The study, which looked at 43 previously identified biomarkers, found the evidence was weak for most others. The…
Six weeks of water-based exercises — consisting of stretching or Pilates — led to significant reductions in pain and improvements in spine flexibility, functional capacity, and quality of life for men with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), according to a recent study in Iran. While both types of exercise led to…
Motto Health has launched an all-in-one virtual health platform to expand access to comprehensive rheumatology care for people with chronic autoimmune conditions, including ankylosing spondylitis . The new app offers virtual rheumatology clinic visits, personalized lifestyle coaching, and symptom tracking, all with the goal of closing the existing…
An analysis of genetic sequencing data has identified potential new biomarkers for diagnosing ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Specifically, scientists analyzed mRNAs, or the templates used to generate a protein from DNA, and found that the levels of three — Cxcr6, IL17RA, and Lrrfip1 — were associated with disease severity and…
Researchers have described a successful bone surgery to correct a rare type of spinal deformity in a man with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) that had prevented him from facing forward while walking — marking the first case report of this type of spinal surgery for an AS patient. While AS…
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