Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Interview for Assignment due Sunday by 11:55pm

Over the past year I've pulled information from different medical artical and studies. If you search through this site you might find more. The info is below:

Ankylosing Spondylitis

Primarily affects the axial skeleton manifesting in chronic back pain and spinal stiffness.

Affected areas:

Aseptic inflammation at the sacroiliac (SI) joints.

Progresses up the spinal column.

Spinal fusion.

Neurological dysfunction.

Increase risk of spinal fracture and paralysis.

Lumbar lordosis is flattened.

Thoracic Kyphosis becomes exaggerated.

Costovertebral involement can cause chest expansion to become limited.

25% of cases have inflammation in the peripheral joints shoulders, hips, ribs, heels and small joints of the hands and feet.

Inflammation of tendons. Can lead to rupture of the affected tendons leading to immobility.

20-25% have Acute Iritis/uveitis.

5-10% of cases have aortic insufficiency or ascending aortitis.
Aortic insufficiency is the leaking of the aortic valve of the heart that causes blood to flow in the reverse direction during ventricular diastole, from the aorta into the left ventricle.
A thoracic aortic aneurysm, also called TAA, is a bulging, weakened area in the wall of the aorta (the largest artery in the body), resulting in an abnormal widening or ballooning greater than 50 percent of the normal diameter (width).

Calcification of heart valves and arteries.

A rare complication of ankylosing spondylitis involves scarring of the heart's electrical system, causing an abnormally slow heart rate.




Advanced spondylitis can lead to deposits of protein material called amyloid into the kidneys and result in kidney failure. Progressive kidney disease can lead to chronic fatigue and nausea and can require removal of accumulated blood poisons by a filtering machine dialysis.

Inflammation of the Lungs.
Inflammation and scarring of the lungs, causing coughing and shortness of breath, especially with exercise and infections.

Psoriasis, skin condition.
Plaque psoriasis is the most common type of psoriasis. About 80% of people who develop psoriasis have plaque psoriasis, which appears as patches of raised, reddish skin covered by silvery-white scale. These patches, or plaques, frequently form on the elbows, knees, lower back, and scalp. However, the plaques can occur anywhere on the body.
The other types are guttate psoriasis (small, red spots on the skin),
pustular psoriasis (white pustules surrounded by red skin), inverse psoriasis (smooth, red lesions form in skin folds), and erythrodermic psoriasis (widespread redness, severe itching, and pain).
Leitis, gastrointestinal tract (causing inflammation within the small intestine).

Colitis, inflammation of the large intestine.

Labyrinthitis, inflammation of the inner ear.

AS is found in .1% of the population with a 3:1 male to women ratio and 10% Caucasians are HLA-B27 negative.

Most active disease phase occurs between 20 and 50 years.

Diagnosis after the age of 40 is uncommon.

No cure and limited treatment. Current treatments are geared toward slowing the progression of the symptoms or gaining remission of the symptoms.

Less than 20% of patients progress to permanent disability.

Less than 5% die as a result of spinal fractures, heart complications and amyloidosis (deposition of a white insoluble protein substance found as an abnormal deposit in various organs).

The five-year survival rate of patients with more than thirty joints involved is approximately 50%. This is similar to severe coronary artery disease or stage IV Hodgkin's disease. Thirty years ago, one researcher concluded that there was an average loss of eighteen years of life in patients before the age of 50.

More than 50% of patients who were working at the start of their disease are disabled after five years.

Tim

Well hello Oak 'Jr.'!!!! If you're anything like your dad, you're pretty special. Thank you for doing your report on this disease that has whupped him upside the head so badly.

What is your log in name: Inanna

What has caused you the most pain: It varies from day to day (neck/shoulder, thoracics, sacroiliac), but generally, the thoracics (mid/upper back) have been the most horrendous.

How long have you had AS: I was diagnosed almost 6 years ago (6 years on October 20), but I've had full disease symptoms for about 18 years.

Where did you start to fuse first: left sacroiliac is fused, right one is trying. My thoracics are 'squared off' which means they are in pre-fusing mode.

How old were you when you first started getting symptoms: That's a tough one. In retrospect, I was in my early teens. I started going to a chiropractor when I was 15. Egad, that's about 28 years ago!

I hope you do well on your paper. Give your dad a big (gentle) hug for me.

Hugs,

KAT, you like 43yrs old so ami 44in september you look younger in your pic beautiful and younger...see ya oak, ps my oaleaf girl is my youngest and most caring of all my daughters i love her so much......

Oak, there I was just adding something to my post and you were posting to me. I love when that stuff happens. Yup, 43 - I'll be 44 in November. Actually, I should change that pic. I was only 39 when it was taken!

Your little Oak seems pretty special. But then, she's your daughter, so I'm not surprised.

Have a great weekend, my friend.

Many hugs,

What is your log in name: Snowlady

What has caused you the most pain: Definitely my neck, followed by lower back, knees, feet, hands, and eyes

How long have you had AS: I'm not sure, but I was told by my Rheumy that he thought I had AS about 18 years ago.

Where did you start to fuse first: SI joints and C2 & C3

How old were you when you first started getting symptoms: The first ones I remember were when I was pregnant and 25 years old. The first symptoms I remember were pains in my hips.

Good luck with your paper. Anything you can do to make people more aware of this disease, and maybe even find something that might help would make you even more popular than you already are here on this forum.

You must be a pretty terrific young lady, after all, you came from a pretty terrific dad! We sure do like him around these parts!

Hi Tara, and Welcome to KA!

Log in name: mig
What caused the most pain: back spasms and neck
How long have you had AS: 27 yrs (diagnosed 24 yrs ago)
Where did you start to fuse first: sacroiliac joints
Age of first symptoms: 18 y/o


Good luck with your paper!
mig

Hello Oakleaf-Girl23!

What is your log in name: Lexus

What has caused you the most pain: Left sacroiliac (SI) joint, lower back and left lower ribs. Though, my left knee and hip, and right ankle are starting to get in on the action lately.

How long have you has AS: Was finally disagnosed Aug. 31st, 2006, after having bum and back and rib pain for four (seems like longggggggg) years.

Where did you start to fuse first: So far (knock on wood), I haven't fused yet, but some damage has begun to occur in my left SI joint, and I think that my rib cage is starting to have some degree of damage as well (lung expansion has so far been a bit compromised on my last physio visit).

How old were you when you first started getting symptoms: My lower back spasmed so hard the day after my 25th birthday that I could barely walk for two weeks after that first "flare-up" attack. Am currently now 30 years old.

Please give your dad a big hug for me, and tell him one more person thinks the world of him as well! Thanks for doing your assignment on this topic...we all really appreciate it! I hope that it goes well for you!

Lexus

Hey,
Pleasure to meet you. Sure I would be happy to give you some info.

My Log In Name: fyrfytr187 (firefighter 187)

What has caused the most pain: Most recently it has been the ruptured discs in my back brougt about from the AS.

How Long have I had AS: I was diagnosed in 1999

Where did I begin to fuse first: My SI joints and lower back have some fusing.

How old was I when I started having symptoms: Actually I didn't have severe symptoms until just prior to my diagnosis. So I would have been 39-40.

Nice to meet you Oakleaf_Girl23
Keep Kickin'AS
Chris

What is your log in name: janetk

What has caused you the most pain: pain progression has changed over the years from hands, to SIs/lumbar/thoracic, now to feet/ankles, hips

How long have you had AS: dx'd July 06, problems for 16+ years

Where did you start to fuse first: no fusion yet, advanced degeneration, multiple disk herniations etc.

How old were you when you first started getting symptoms: 28 for joint problems, other symptoms started around age 23-24