Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autoinflammatory disorder characterized by recurrent febrile polyserositis and arthritis attacks. Accompanying seronegative spondyloarthropathy has been reported in FMF in addition to its own joint involvement. However, the coexistence of FMF with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is very rare, only three cases with severe joint involvement and mortal ...

Lumbar spinal tumoral calcinosis and spinal epidural lipomatosis are rare conditions. We present a 70-year-old female patient with serology negative spondyloarthropathy who developed paresis due to tumoral calcinosis in the left facet joint between L5 and S1 levels and spinal epidural lipomatosis at L5 and S1 levels. Surgery was performed to excise the lesions en bloc. Neural decompression was ...

We report herein the association of primary pulmonary amyloidosis and ankylosing spondylitis. To our knowledge, this rare association has never been reported. This case reemphasizes that not all pulmonary complications that appear in the course of ankylosing spondylitis are related to the seronegative spondyloarthropathy. Primary pulmonary amyloidosis should be considered in patients with inter...

OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the Dougados Functional Index (DFI) with 5-point Likert scale is sensitive enough to demonstrate the efficacy of intensive physiotherapy and exercise. METHODS Eight-one consecutive patients with spondyloarthropathy (SpA) completed self-administered questionnaires on functional analysis, the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional I...

Blocking tumor necrosis factor-alpha either with monoclonal antibodies or with soluble receptor constructs has been proven to be effective with an acceptable safety profile in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and more recently also in the diseases belonging to the spondyloarthropathy concept. Nevertheless multiple questions still remain unresolved especially concerning longer-term treatment....

BACKGROUND Dialysis-related amyloidosis is one of the chronic the complications of haemodialysis. We conducted an investigation of dialysis-associated amyloidosis in extremely long-term survivors. METHODS Twenty-one patients on haemodialysis for more than 30 years ('30+' group) and 13 patients on haemodialysis for 20-30 years ('20-30' group) at Sangenjaya Hospital were enrolled in this study....

Ochronotic spondylarthropathy, a long-term musculoskeletal manifestation of alkaptonuria and involvement of joints may lead to a radiographic appearance similar to that of degenerative joint disease. We report the cases of two siblings with progressive familial ochronotic arthropaty treated with total hip arthroplasty.

Infection is involved at each of these points. Clinical observations implicate bacterial infection in ReA. The principal gene associated with spondyloarthropathy is HLA-B27, and infection is the driving force behind HLA polymorphism. Observations in ReA and animal models suggest a central role for bacteria in pathogenic mechanisms. This article reviews current understanding of spondyloarthropat...

Lina Vencevičienė1, Rimantas Vencevičius2 and Irena Butrimienė3 1Vilnius University, Clinic of Internal Diseases, Family Medicine, Gerontology and Oncology 2Vilnius University, Clinic of Rheumatology, Traumatology, Orthopedics and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 3Vilnius University, Clinic of Rheumatology, Traumatology, Orthopedics and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery; State Research Insti...

The case is reported of a 42 year old white woman meeting currently used diagnostic criteria for both ankylosing spondylitis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). As found in a previously described similar case of a black man, HLA typing showed antigens associated with both SLE and seronegative spondyloarthropathy. This case thus supports the hypothesis that the two diseases occur together on...