Juvenile ankylosing spondylitis and aortic regurgitation: a case presentation.

Juvenile ankylosing spondylitis has its onset in childhood. Aortic insufficiency occurs in children and may precede the onset of symptoms of spondylitis. It may first be seen as peripheral arthritis and aortic valvulitis before clinically evident sacroiliitis is apparent. The HLA B27 marker makes it possible to identify those patients at increased risk for development of ankylosing spondylitis.