Advances in TNF inhibitors therapy in patients with radiographic negative axial spondyloarthritis

The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors are very effective in treating ankylosing spondylitis (AS). For a better followup patients with a potential risk of AS, some scholars have proposed the concept of axial nonradiographic spondyloarthritis (nraxSpA). In recent years, more trials are focusing on early treatment of TNF inhibitors in patients with nr-axSpA. Researches show that compared with AS, TNF inhibitors are as effective in patients with nr-axSpA at least and maybe even more effective when patients with nr-axSpA are treated earlier. The focus of this review is to discuss the advances in TNF inhibitors therapy in patients with nr-axSpA.