Drug treatment of ankylosing spondylitis and related complications: an overlook review

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by back pain and progressive spinal stiffness. The prevalence of AS is 30 per 10,000 people. The patients often have complications or co-existing diseases, which may affect the choice of drugs and the treatment effects. However, the pathogenesis of AS is still controversial. Inflammation takes a key role in the occurrence and development of AS. Therefore, antiinflammation is crucial in the management of AS. The goals and principles of AS management is to achieve remission, control disease activity and improve the quality of the life of patients. What is more, drug therapy is still a primary part of AS management. Due to the heterogeneity of AS patients, the effect of conventional treatment is limited. There is evidence that multidisciplinary therapy (MDT) is of great value in drug selection and reasonable combination. To conclude and reach a better understanding, we took a brief overlook of the drug treatment of AS and its related complications.