Antiquity of arthritis: spondyloarthropathy identified in the Paleocene of North America. off.
OBJECTIVE
Determination of the antiquity of spondyloarthropathy by examining the fossil record.


METHODS
Fossil collections from the Paleocene and Eocene of North America were systematically examined to determine the occurrence and population frequency of spondyloarthropathy.


RESULTS
Spondyloarthropathy was present in three mammalian orders dated at 30 to 50 million years. The frequency was 13% to 50% in the affected genera.


CONCLUSIONS
Erosive arthritis of the spondyloarthropathy variety is now documented to have originated at least 40 million years ago in the Paleocene.
Rothschild
B M
BM
Arthritis Center of Northeast Ohio, Youngstown 44512, USA.
Sebes
J I
JI
Rothschild
C
C
D000818:Animals; D005580:Fossils; D008322:Mammals; D009656:North America; D010164:Paleopathology; D012446:Sacroiliac Joint / Q000473:pathology*; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000473:pathology*