Combination of ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis: clinical observations and literature review

Abstract

The article discusses one of the variants of overlap syndrome – a combination of symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Three clinical cases are described, in these cases characteristic signs of both diseases were noted and the criteria of both diseases were met. The genetic factors and immunopathogenetic mechanisms underlying AS and RA are analyzed. A review of the literature on the combination of AS and RA is presented.

Keywords

• ankylosing spondylitis
• rheumatoid arthritis
• sacroiliitis
• coxitis
• hla-b27
• rheumatoid factor