Radiological outcome in ankylosing spondylitis: use of the Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score (SASSS).
We investigated the role of the Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score (SASSS) in a longitudinal cohort study of 53 patients with AS, assessed 9 yr apart, and its relation to clinical, functional and laboratory measures of disease activity and outcome. We also examined the long-term predictive value of quantitative sacroiliac scintigraphy (QSS). SASSS correlated closely with clinical measures, including occiput-wall distance (OWD) (P < 0.001) and modified Schober (P < 0.001). QSS was significantly correlated with final X-ray score (P < 0.05). SASSS changed significantly (P < 0.001) over the study period; two patterns of change in spine score were discernible, one with little change in radiological score and the other showing marked progression. The SASSS is a useful, valid score, which correlates with clinical outcomes measures and which has identified specific patterns of radiographic progression in AS.
Averns
H L
HL
Staffordshire Rheumatology Centre, The Haywood, Stoke on Trent, New Zealand.
Oxtoby
J
J
Taylor
H G
HG
Jones
P W
PW
Dziedzic
K
K
Dawes
P T
PT
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011859:Radiography; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013131:Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*