Association of ankylosing spondylitis and Crohn's disease successfully treated with infliximab.

In patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) the prevalence of ankylosing spondylitis is 4-10%, and approximately 5-10% of ankylosing spondylitis patients have concomitant IBD. The correct recognition of spondyloarthritides is essential in order to identify common therapeutic strategies, especially in the era of new biological therapies such as infliximab. This paper reports a case of a patient with a severe presentation of ankylosing spondylitis and Crohn's disease successfully treated with infliximab. Two important points concerning this case are discussed: one is the true value of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced IBD exacerbation and the other is the role of anti-tumor necrosis factor agents (especially infliximab) in the treatment of patients with concomitant diseases.