Summaries of Must-Read Clinical Literature, Guidelines, and FDA Actions

ACR Spondyloarthropathy Treatment Guideline

Provides evidence-based recommendations

Publish date:: October 5, 2015

In patients with active AS: The strong recommendations include use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), use of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) when activity persists despite NSAID treatment, not to use systemic glucocorticoids, use of physical therapy, and use of hip arthroplasty for patients with advanced hip arthritis.

In patients with concomitant inflammatory bowel disease or recurrent iritis: TNFi monoclonal antibodies should be used.

In patients with active nonradiographic axial SpA despite treatment with NSAIDs: Treatment with TNFi is conditionally recommended. Other recommendations for patients with nonradiographic axial SpA were based on indirect evidence and were the same as for patients with AS.

Citation: Ward MM, Deodhar A, Akl A, et al. American College of Rheumatology/Spondylitis Association of America/Spondyloarthritis Research and Treatment Network 2015 recommendations for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis and nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis. [Published online ahead of print September 24, 2015]. Arthritis Rheumatol. doi: 10.1002/art.39298.

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