Juvenile ankylosing spondylitis

Fifteen patients with juvenile ankylosing spondylitis were reviewed. Eight presented with extraspinal arthritis. Certain clinical features were of value early in the disease in distinguishing these patients from those with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis: male sex, remittent oligoarthritis, late onset in childhood, relative sparing of hands and wrists, infrequent cervical spine involvement, and negative tests for rheumatoid factors and antinuclear antibodies. Roentgenographic demonstration of sacroiliac arthritis with reactive sclerosis makes the diagnosis virtually certain.