Juvenile ankylosing spondylitis--is it the same disease as adult ankylosing spondylitis?

OBJECTIVES: Juvenile and adult forms of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) have been shown to have different clinical presentation and outcome in Caucasians. We did this retrospective analysis to see if similar differences exist in the Indian population.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Case records of 210 Indian patients diagnosed with AS according to modified New York criteria were reviewed. Data were collected regarding age of onset, clinical features, drug treatment, and outcome at last follow-up. Patients with onset before 17 years of age were classified as having juvenile AS (JAS) and the rest with adult AS (AAS).

RESULTS: There were 150 patients with AAS and 60 with JAS. The latter had higher male preponderance, more frequent onset with peripheral arthritis, and greater involvement of hip and knee joints. Valvular dysfunction was seen only in patients with JAS.

CONCLUSION: In this group of subjects, juvenile AS had onset more often with oligoarthritis and enthesitis than with spinal disease. Hip and knee joint involvement was more common in JAS than AAS.