AS Treatments

Fig. 1
Axial SpA (axSpA) is a chronic inflammatory condition predominantly involving the spine and sacroiliac joints (SIJ), with or without extra-spinal manifestations including peripheral arthritis, enthesitis, iritis, psoriasis and IBD. Individuals with axSpA experience significant pain, stiffness and la…
m.rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org

This set of British guidelines published earlier this year missed out on the very important new class of anti-IL17A inhibitors, which is transforming the AS therapeutic landscape with its efficacy, safety and lower cost in longterm maintenance.
On efficacy, it is possibly even more effective than the anti-TNFs in pain relief and functional improvement, plus the benefits are sustained and appear to improve with time. It is also able to retard progression to spinal fusion (ankylosis), a first in AS treatment. A big deal indeed.


Patients with ankylosing spondylitis had better sleep quality following anti-TNF vs NSAID treatment

Patients with ankylosing spondylitis had lower disease activity and better sleep quality after treatment with…
healio.com
The benefits of treatment with TNF-alpha inhibitors in reducing spinal radiographic progression in…
mdedge.com

Having to endure at least 6 years of anti-TNF treatment to discern any significant radiographic benefit simply means it does not work great. A lot of damage may have happened in that interval.


ClinicalTrials.gov has listed the results of the POSTURE study, a large randomized placebo-controlled trial wherein apremilast was found to yield no benefit (compared to placebo) in treating ankylosing spondylitis (AS) (32.5% vs. 36.6% ASAS20 at week 16) patients. These findings make it unlikely tha…
rheumnow.com