RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Effect of Pregnancy on Ankylosing Spondylitis: A Case-Control Study
JF The Journal of Rheumatology
JO J Rheumatol
FD The Journal of Rheumatology
SP jrheum.101174
DO 10.3899/jrheum.101174
A1 Nai Lee Lui
A1 Nigil Haroon
A1 Adele Carty
A1 Hua Shen
A1 Richard J. Cook
A1 Sutha Shanmugarajah
A1 Dafna D. Gladman
A1 Robert D. Inman
YR 2011
UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2011/08/10/jrheum.101174.abstract
AB Objective To evaluate the effect of pregnancy on ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods Our study aimed to determine the severity of back pain and stiffness pre-, during, and postpartum in patients with AS and controls, and corresponding extraarticular symptoms. Results Nineteen female patients with AS (35 pregnancies) and 33 controls (77 pregnancies) were studied. Improvement in pain was reported in 51% of AS patients, predominantly in the first trimester, with significant improvement in pain than stiffness. In both groups, pain worsened in later stages, likely secondary to biomechanical loading. Postpartum pain scores in AS returned to prepartum levels in general. Conclusion Pregnancy does not substantially aggravate disease activity or severity in AS.