title: Role of Physical Evaluation in the Early Identification of Axial Spondyloarthritis: A Research Proposal.
abstract: The aim of this study was to present a rationale to explore the use of clinical tests for the sacroiliac joints to detect early axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) and to suggest a protocol to validate these clinical tests. Based on the European Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatments of Pelvic Girdle Pain, we propose a set of six clinical tests to identify the likely presence of inflammation in the sacroiliac joints associated with early axial SpA. As magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the current gold standard used to identify inflammation in the sacroiliac joints, the results of the proposed set of clinical tests are compared with those from the MRI examinations. We hypothesize that specific clinical tests, which combine pain provocation and functional tests, for assessing the sacroiliac joints will help to identify early active inflammation at the sacroiliac joints in axial SpA. If such tests prove to be sensitive and specific, they could add further value to the diagnostic classification criteria for axial SpA.
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Science, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. ; Department of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Marcelo P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. ; Department of Rheumatology, Dunedin Hospital, Dunedin, Otago New Zealand.
authors.forename: Simon M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Stebbings
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Milosavljevic
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Science, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Melanie D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Bussey
keywords: ankylosing spondylitis; clinical tests; diagnosis; inflammation; pelvic girdle; sacroiliac joints