The epidemiology of ankylosing spondylitis.
This review focuses on various epidemiological aspects of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Diagnostic criteria currently available are described, and their use in scientific studies as opposed to everyday clinical practice is discussed. Present knowledge of the prevalence of AS is addressed in detail with particular emphasis on discrepancies caused by variations in population frequencies of HLA B27 and those caused by differences in study designs.
Department of Rheumatology, Central Hospital of Aust-Agder, Arendal, Norway.
J T
JT
Gran
G
G
Husby
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001782:Blood Donors; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D006753:Hospital Records; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology
D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen