ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS-CLINICAL ANALYSIS OF 35 CASES

This article presents 35 cases of ankylosing spondylitis. They were 32 males and 3 females, the ratio of male to female being 10.6: 1. The age at the onset of disease was from 13 to 31 years. The clinical course was 4 years in average. Eleven cases were diagnosed within 1 year. In the rest, the diagnosis was delayed from 2 to as long as 16 years. All patients complained of lumbosacral pain and/or stiffness. Limitation of movement of the lumbar spine was noticed in most patients. Peripheral joints were involved in 91% of cases. One-fourth of these 20 patients with hip involvement developed deformity. There was X-ray evidence of sacroiliitis in all patients. ESR was elevated in 81% of them. Serum rheumatoid factor was negative in all. Twenty-elght patients were given indomethacin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Two received radiotherapy. The other 5 patients underwent surgery. Clinical improvement was attained in all of them following treatment.