Effect of Biological Disease Modifying Anti Rheumatic Drug (bDMARD) Treatment on Spinal Fracture Incidence in Patients With Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)

Effect of Biological Disease Modifying Anti Rheumatic Drug (bDMARD) Treatment on Spinal Fracture Incidence in Patients With Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a rheumatoid disease affecting all segments of the axial skeleton, leading to the complete fusion of all spinal segments - the bamboo-spine. During the last decade biological disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARD) have been successfully introduced to reduce the disease activity. It is unclear whether bDMARD treatment had an effect on spinal fracture risk related to AS. This national registry study will investigate the effect of bDMARD treatment on spinal fracture risk in a national cohort of patients with AS.

Inclusion Criteria:

• age 30-60 years
• registered diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis

Exclusion Criteria:

• age <30 or >60 years