Ankylosing spondylitis: a case report with review of literature

Abstract

Background: Ankylosing spondylitis is a relatively common worldwide chronic inflammatory disease that usually affects spine, sacroiliac joints in addition to peripheral joints and affects multiple other tissues, which can progress to bony fusion of the spine.

Objective: To fill the gap of the absence of a published description of this condition in Libyan patients and to compare of the clinical presentation and other aspect of the condition in a Libyan patient with what is known worldwide.

Materials and Methods: A case report of a 60 year old Libyan male who has Ankylosing spondylitis and then review the available literature.

Results: The patient has been having a chronic low back pain and stiffness for the last 26 years. His symptoms are most severe in morning and improve with movement. He developed stiffness and limitation of movement of the neck and restriction of movements of the shoulder and hips. Examination showed kyphosis and limited neck movement and decreased chest expansion. His score on Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index is 6. His x-rays showed bamboo spine appearance of spine and osteoarthritis in both shoulder joints and hip joints. His presentation fits both European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group diagnostic criteria for spondyloarthropathies and the modified New York Criteria.

Conclusion: Our Libyan patient shows a classical clinical and radiological picture of the condition and the diagnostic criteria and severity index could be applied easily to his cases.

Keywords: Ankylosing spondylitis, Spondyloarthritis, back pain, back stiffness, bamboo spine