Use of simple analgesics in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis.

The role played by simple analgesics in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is not clear. A questionnaire survey of AS patients and rheumatologists revealed that a majority (78%) of patients took NSAIDs and a substantial proportion (34%) took simple analgesics. A majority of rheumatologists (65%) considered simple analgesics worth prescribing for AS patients. Rheumatologists tended to prescribe NSAIDs more often initially than simple analgesics while the reverse was true for general practitioners. Over half the patients (57%) considered pain relief as their first priority for drug treatment. Other objectives such as prevention of deformities and relief of stiffness were less important. A sizeable proportion of patients (15%) bought over-the-counter drugs. Prescribing habits of doctors can be improved by listing over-the-counter drugs in the British National Formulary and Data Sheet Compendium.