Symptomatic therapy for ankylosing spondylitis

Abstract

The paper characterizes ankylosing spondylitis (AS), one of the common spinal inflammatory diseases, in which not only sacroiliac, peripheral, and root (shoulder and hip) joints, but also the aorta, heart valve apparatus, myocardium, bronchopulmonary system, kidneys, nerve system, and the organ of vision are involved in the pathological process. It is stated that the relatively high prevalence of AS, its young onset, progressively reduced spinal mobility, and early disability in the patients require active anti-inflammatory therapy. Significant progress in the treatment of AS is associated with the introduction of gene engineering biologicals into clinical practice. At the same time symptomatic therapy (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, glucocorticoids, simple analgesics, myorelaxants) is noted to play an important role in AS. Myorelaxants actively affect not only the major manifestations (pain and rigidity) of AS, but also the functional state of the locomotor apparatus and the outcome of the disease as a whole. By reducing muscle tone and the degree of rigidity, they contribute to increased movement amplitudes in the spine and peripheral joints. Among the drugs of this group, the central myorelaxant mydocalm is most commonly used in Russia.

Keywords

• ankylosing spondylitis
• anti-inflammatory therapy
• symptomatic treatment
• myorelaxants