Radiographic involvement of cervical facet joints in ankylosing spondylitis: a longitudinal analysis in correlation with vertebral body lesions.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The inability to assess structural changes in facet joints is a limitation of established radiographic scoring systems for ankylosing spondylitis (AS). We compared radiographic evidence of ankylosis in cervical facet joints and cervical vertebral bodies in patients with AS.

Methods

We analysed longitudinal data collected from 1106 AS patients and assessed 4984 spinal radiographs obtained up to 16 years of follow-up. Comparisons between cervical facet joints and cervical vertebral bodies focused on the presence of ankylosis, which was defined by at least one facet joint exhibiting complete ankylosis (according to the method of de Vlam) or at least one vertebral body with a bridging syndesmophyte (according to the modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spinal Score [

SUBMITTER: Lee TH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10245667 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature