2010 update of the ASAS/EULAR recommendations for the management of ankylosing spondylitis.
Braun, J 1,2; van den Berg, R 3; Baraliakos, X 1; Boehm, H 4; Burgos-Vargas, R 5; Collantes-Estevez, E 6; Dagfinrud, H 7,8; Dijkmans, B 9; Dougados, M 10; Emery, P 11; Geher, P 12; Hammoudeh, M 13; Inman, RD 14; Jongkees, M 15; Khan, MA 16; Kiltz, U 1; Kvien, TK 17; Leirisalo-Repo, M 18; Maksymowych, WP 19; Olivieri, I 20; Pavelka, K 21; Sieper, J 22; Stanislawska-Biernat, E 23; Wendling, D 24; Ozgocmen, S 25; van Drogen, C 15; van Royen, BJ 26; van der Heijde, D 27
[Miscellaneous]
Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
70(6):896-904, June 2011.
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This first update of the ASAS/EULAR recommendations on the management of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is based on the original paper, a systematic review of existing recommendations and the literature since 2005 and the discussion and agreement among 21 international experts, 2 patients and 2 physiotherapists in a meeting in February 2010. Each original bullet point was discussed in detail and reworded if necessary. Decisions on new recommendations were made - if necessary after voting. The strength of the recommendations (SOR) was scored on an 11-point numerical rating scale after the meeting by email. These recommendations apply to patients of all ages that fulfill the modified NY criteria for AS, independent of extra-articular manifestations, and they take into account all drug and non-drug interventions related to AS. Four overarching principles were introduced, implying that one bullet has been moved to this section. There are now 11 bullet points including 2 new ones, one related to extra-articular manifestations and one to changes in the disease course. With a mean score of 9.1 (range 8-10) the SOR was generally very good.
(C) 2011 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and European League Against Rheumatism