title: Pharmacological management of undifferentiated spondyloarthropathies.
abstract: Among undifferentiated spondyloarthropathies (uSpA) are included incomplete forms or early phases of definite seronegative spondyloarthritides and cases of spondyloarthritides that remain undifferentiated. The treatment of all spondyloarthritides is more conditioned by the disease localisation, number of involved districts and severity of inflammation rather than by the subtype of the spondyloarthritides itself. Specific studies focused on the pharmacological approach to uSpA are scarce. As a consequence, many drugs are used on the basis of the experiences that have been gained in the treatment of other spondyloarthritides. At present, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs/COX-2 inhibitors and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs are the main therapeutic agents for the involvement of peripheral joints in uSpA. In those cases in which severe symptoms persist despite these treatments or when there is a severe axial involvement, antitumour necrosis factor agents represent an effective choice. In these patients, antitumour necrosis factor treatment raises the important possibility of blocking a shift from uSpA to differentiated severe forms of spondyloarthritides such as ankylosing spondylitis. Local administration of corticosteroids is useful when a small number of joints are involved, as is also the case for the extra-articular localisations of soft tissues.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Villa Pini Clinic, Chieti, Italy. kaps57@virgilio.it
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Palazzi
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Padula
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montaruli
authors.forename: Ernesta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pennese
authors.forename: Ignazio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Olivieri
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D000069285:Infliximab; D015995:Prevalence; D025242:Spondylarthropathies / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab