S100A4 Protein Levels May Be Early Biomarker of Axial Spondyloarthritis, Study Suggests

Blood levels of the protein S100A4 are elevated in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), especially at early stages of the disease, a study found. The excessive spinal bone formation that occurs over time seems to be marked by a reduction in the protein’s levels, suggesting its implication in…

Smoking Doubles Risk of Spinal Damage in Ankylosing Spondylitis Patients, Study Finds

Patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) who smoke are twice as likely to have cumulative spinal structural damage, according to preliminary results of a systematic review study conducted by researchers at the Izmir Katip Celebi University, Turkey. This finding was the subject of an oral presentation titled “The…