Treatment of ankylosing spondylitis.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a condition characterized by inflammatory back pain and associated with considerable disability and diminished quality of life in affected individuals. The condition is undertreated in part due to a delay in diagnosis and limited therapeutic interventions. Although traditional treatment approaches (physical therapy, exercise, patient education, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs) remain important components of the management of AS, the demonstrated efficacy of tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) antagonists such as etanercept and infliximab have allowed clinicians to more effectively manage this condition. These targeted therapies have demonstrated rapid and consistent effectiveness in reducing the axial and peripheral symptoms of AS, slowing disease progression, and improving patient function and quality of life. Appropriate and timely use of TNF-a antagonists offers additional options for patients with active AS who are inadequately controlled with conventional treatment.