The natural history of juvenile-onset ankylosing spondylitis: a 24-year retrospective case-control study.
One hundred and thirty-five patients with juvenile-onset ankylosing spondylitis (JAS: less than 16 years at onset, mean 12.8 years) were compared to 135 adult-onset spondylitics (AAS: greater than 21 years at onset, mean 26.1 years), controlled for disease duration (24.5 and 23.5 years, respectively), to assess the outcome of juvenile-onset disease. Review was by postal questionnaire and health-assessment measures. The sex distribution was similar: 73% and 74% males, respectively. All parameters showed comparable outcome with the exception of the numbers in full-time employment (JAS 74%, AAS 56%; p less than 0.01) and total hip replacements (JAS 17%, AAS 4%; p less than 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
(a) the premature hip is particularly at risk in ankylosing spondylitis; (b) there are few differences between the outcome of JAS and AAS; (c) overall, JAS patients do well in adulthood.
Calin
A
A
Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Upper Borough Walls, Bath, UK.
Elswood
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires