How Best to Assess Spinal Damage in Early Axial Spondyloarthritis?

September 10, 2018

Findings from the first study to assess scoring methods in early axSpA-before sacroiliitis is present.

Reference1. Ramiro S, Claudepierre P, Sepriano A, et al. Which scoring method depicts spinal radiographic damage in early axial spondyloarthritis best? Five-year results from the DESIR cohort. Rheumatology. 2018 Jul 23. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/key185. [Epub ahead of print]

Ramiro and colleagues in the Netherlands and France have found that current radiographic scoring methods, the modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score (mSASSS) in particular, are good at assessing spinal damage in the early stages of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA).¹ Scroll through the slides for the details of the study and the take-home points for physicians.

(Image credit: ©Agenturfotografin/Shutterstock.com)

AS, ankylosing spondylitis; axSpA, axial spondyloarthritis; BASRI, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Radiology Index; mSASSS, modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score.

BASRI, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Radiology Index; mSASSS, modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score; RASSS, Radiographic Ankylosing Spondylitis Spinal Score; SASSS, Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score.

AS, ankylosing spondylitis; axSpA, axial spondyloarthritis; mSASSS, modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score; RASSS, Radiographic Ankylosing Spondylitis Spinal Score.