Early spondyloarthritis.

Rheumatology, Medical Department I, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, Berlin 12203, Germany.

Rheumatic diseases clinics of North America 2012 May

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Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a large family of chronic inflammatory diseases characterized by inflammation of the axial skeleton, a typically asymmetric peripheral arthritis of the lower limbs, enthesitis, typical extra-articular manifestations, and shared genetic background. The prevalence in the general population is up to 2% for the entire group. SpA, particularly ankylosing spondylitis, has been associated with a diagnostic delay of up to 10 years. Important efforts toward shortening this delay have been made, including the development of new classification criteria. This article discusses the current concept of the disease, typical manifestations, advances in diagnosis, and current treatment recommendations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.