[Ankylosing spondylitis].

UNLABELLED: A FREQUENT AFFECTION: Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory rheumatism usually affecting young adults and characterized by an inflammatory enthesiopathy progressing towards ossification and ankylosis. It is ranked in second position of chronic inflammatory rheumatism, after rheumatoid arthritis. IMPROVING ITS EVOLUTION: Early diagnosis and adapted therapy would contribute in improving its prognosis and avoid the evolution to severe forms of the disease. RECENT PROGRESS: The recent advances in this disease are the enhanced knowledge of its physiopathology and the development of efficient drugs (anti-TNFalpha).