ASAS consensus definition of early axial spondyloarthritis

Victoria Navarro-Compán*, Diego Benavent, Dafne Capelusnik, Désirée van der Heijde, Robert Bm Landewé, Denis Poddubnyy, Astrid van Tubergen, Xenofon Baraliakos, Filip E Van den Bosch, Floris A van Gaalen, Lianne Gensler, Clementina López-Medina, Helena Marzo-Ortega, Anna Molto, Rodolfo Pérez-Alamino, Martin Rudwaleit, Marleen van de Sande, Raj Sengupta, Ulrich Weber, Sofia Ramiro

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To develop a consensual definition for the term 'early axial spondyloarthritis-axSpA'-and 'early peripheral spondyloarthritis-pSpA'.

METHODS: The ASAS (Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society-Spondyloarthritis EARly definition) steering committee convened an international working group (WG). Five consecutive steps were followed: (1) systematic literature review (SLR); (2) discussion of SLR results within the WG and ASAS community; (3) a three-round Delphi survey inviting all ASAS members to select the items that should be considered for the definition; (4) presentation of Delphi results to the WG and ASAS community and (5) ASAS voting and endorsement (2023 annual meeting).

RESULTS: Following the SLR, consensus was to proceed with an expert-based definition for early axSpA (81% in favour) but not for pSpA (54% against). Importantly, early axSpA should be based on symptom duration taking solely axial symptoms into account. 151-164 ASAS members participated in the Delphi surveys. Consensus was achieved for considering the following items within early axSpA definition: duration of symptoms ≤2 years; axial symptoms defined as cervical/thoracic/back/buttock pain or morning stiffness; regardless of the presence/absence of radiographic damage. The WG agreed that in patients with a diagnosis of axSpA 'early axSpA' should be defined as a duration of ≤2 years of axial symptoms. Axial symptoms should include spinal/buttock pain or morning stiffness and should be considered by a rheumatologist as related to axSpA. The ASAS community endorsed this proposal (88% in favour).

CONCLUSIONS: Early axSpA has newly been defined, based on expert consensus. This ASAS definition should be adopted in research studies addressing early axSpA.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1093-1099
Number of pages7
JournalAnnals of the Rheumatic Diseases
Volume83
Issue number9
Early online date15 Jun 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 27 Aug 2024

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