A Clinician’s Guide to Axial Spondyloarthritis

Spondyloarthritis or spondylarthropathy is a group of inflammatory diseases that affect the joints and the entheses where tendons and ligaments attach to bones. It is a major cause of arthritis of the spine and of the peripheral joints, particularly those in the hands, arms, feet and legs. Psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, enteropathic arthritis and reactive arthritis are some of its different forms. It occurs due to genetic factors of inheritance, with close to 30 genes linked with this condition. Spondyloarthritis is characterized with low back pain, which if not controlled, may lead to fusion of the vertebrae and limited spinal mobility. Intermittent joint inflammation accompanied by fatigue, swelling in the arms and legs, osteoporosis, inflammation of the aortic heart valve, psoriasis, redness of the eyes, and intestinal inflammation are some other symptoms of spondyloarthritis. It can be treated with NSAIDs, corticosteroids, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, TNF-alpha blockers and antibiotics. This book is a valuable compilation of topics, ranging from the basic to the most complex advancements in the management and treatment of spondyloarthritis. It presents this complex disease in the most comprehensible and easy to understand language. This book will help new researchers by foregrounding their knowledge in this condition.