ObjectivesTo systematically review the proportion of Tregs in peripheral blood of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and its relationship with Treg's diffrent phenotypes.MethodsPubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, WanFang Data and VIP databases were electronically searched to collect case-control studies on peripheral Tregs of AS patients from inception to November 31st, 2018. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies. Then, meta-analysis was performed by using Stata 12.0 software.ResultsA total of 61 case-control studies involving 2 466 AS patients and 1 879 controls were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that: the proportion of peripheral Tregs of patients with AS was significantly lower than that of the normal control (SMD=−0.905, 95%CI −1.294 to −0.517, P<0.000 1), and the proportion of Tregs in the disease-active group was significantly lower than that in disease-inactive group (SMD=−0.928, 95%CI −1.431 to −0.425, P<0.000 1). The proportion of CD4+CD25+FOXP3+Tregs and CD4+CD25+CD127low/−Tregs were lower in AS patients than that in control subjects (SMD=−2.547, 95%CI −3.521 to −1.573, P<0.000 1; SMD=−0.709, 95% CI −1.056 to −0.362, P<0.000 1). The proportion of Tregs defined by CD4+CD25low/−FOXP3+ was higher in AS patients (SMD=0.683, 95%CI 0.161 to 1.206, P=0.01). There was no significant difference betweew other phenotypes of Tregs groups.roups.ConclusionsThe reduction of Tregs may be one of the important reasons for the occurrence and development of AS, which may provide a new approach for the diagnosis and treatment of AS.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectivity and safety of posterior osteotomy for thoracolumbar stress fracture in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) through the gap of a pathological fracture.MethodsBetween April 2012 and August 2015, 8 patients with AS combined with thoracolumbar stress fracture were treated with posterior osteotomy through the gap of a pathological fracture to correct the kyphosis. There were 7 males and 1 female, with an average age of 51 years (range, 37-74 years). The history of AS was 1-40 years (mean, 21.7 years) and disease duration of stress fracture was 2-60 months (mean, 18.5 months). The segmental lesions included T8, 9 in 1 case, T10, 11 in 2 cases, T11 in 2 cases, T12, L1 in 1 case, L1, 2 in 1 case, and L2, 3 in 1 case. The nerve function before operation according to Frankel grading was grade D in 3 cases and grade E in 5 cases. The pre- and post-operative X-ray films, CT three-dimensional reconstruction, and MRI were collected to measure the global kyphosis (GK), local kyphosis (LK), angle of the fusion levels (AFL), pelvic incidence (PI), pelvic tilt (PT), and sagittal vertical axis (SVA). Visual analogue scale (VAS) score was used to assess the back pain intensity.ResultsThe operation time was 210-320 minutes (mean, 267 minutes), and the intraoperative blood loss was 400-2 000 mL (mean, 963 mL). Cerebrospinal fluid leakage was found in 3 patients, and the wound healed by removal of drainage tube and suturing drainage outlet after 5-7 days of operation. The wounds of the rest patients healed by first intention. Lower extremity numbness occurred in 1 case and recovered after 1 month of postoperative administration of oral mecobalamin. All the patients were followed up 20-43 months (mean, 28.4 months). No internal fixator loosening, fracture, and other complications occurred. All the fractures healed with the healing time of 3-12 months (mean, 6.8 months). At 3 months after operation, 3 cases with spinal cord injury of preoperative Frankel grade D recovered to grade E. The GK, LK, AFL, PI, PT, SVA, and VAS scores at 1 week after operation and at last follow-up were significantly improved when compared with preoperative ones (P<0.05). Except for VAS score at last follow-up was significantly improved when compared with that at 1 week after operation (P<0.05), there was no significant difference in the other indexes between at 1 week after operation and at last follow-up (P>0.05).ConclusionPosterior osteotomy through the gap of a pathological fracture is a safe and effective surgical procedure for kyphosis correction and relief of back pain in AS patients combined with thoracolumbar stress fracture. Successful bony fusion and good clinical outcomes can also be achieved by this surgical procedure.
Objective To investigate the operative methods, cl inical outcomes and compl ications of total hi p arthroplasty (THA) in the treatment of patient with hi p joint flexion rigidity due to ankylosing spondyl itis (AS). Methods From May 1992 to July 2004, 56 patients (32 left hips and 39 right hips) with AS received THA through a modified anterolateral approach, including 52 males (67 hips) and 4 females (4 hips) aged 17-48 years with an average of 35.5 years. All the hips were ankylosed in (43.1 ± 7.2)° of flexion and 15 patients had bilaterally ankylosed hips. Preoperatively, Harris hip score was (42.6 ± 5.3) points and all the hips were classified as stage IV according to the standard of American College of Rheumatology (ACR). And the course of disease was 3-11 years. Results Intraoperatively, 1 patient suffering from proximal femur fracture due to severe osteoporosis was treated with titanium wire fixation, and the fracture was healed 6 weeks later. All the patients were followed up for 3-15 years (average 5.3 years). Postoperatively, 1 patient (1 hip) got subcutaneous soft tissue infection at 8 days, 1 patient (1 hip) got wound disunion at 11 days, 2 patients (2 hips) got infection at 11 months and 3 years, respectively. All the infections were healed after symptomatic treatment. The wounds of the rest 52 patients were healed by first intention without joint infections. The postoperative X-rays demonstrated that 4 hips (5.6%) had loose acetabulum prosthesis, 3 hips (4.2%) had loose femoral prosthesis and 5 hips had loose acetabulum and femoral prosthesis (7.0%), and the total loosening rate was 16.8%. Among which, 8 hips received revision resulting in satisfactory therapeutic effects, and the rest 4 hips had no further treatment. Fifteen hips (21.1%) had heterotopic ossification, which was rel ieved after taking nonsteroidal anti-inflamatory drugs. Harris hip score at final follow-up was (82.7 ± 4.1) points, indicating there was a significant difference between before and after operation (P lt; 0.05). Ten hips were evaluated as excellent, 43 hips good, 14 hips fare, and 4 hips bad, and the excellent and good rate was 74.7%. Conclusion THA through the anterolateral approach is effective for the treatment of patient with hip joint flexion rigidity caused by AS.
Objective To assess the efficacy and safety of Etanercept for Ankylosing spondylitis. Methods We searched The Cochrane Library (Issue 4. 2008), MEDLINE (1966 to September 2008), EMBASE (1974 to September 2008), CBM (1978 to 2008), CNKI (1994 to 2008), VIP (1989 to 2008), and Wanfang (1999 to 2008). The quality of included studies was critically evaluated. Data analyses were performed with The Cochrane Collaboration’s RevMan 5.0 software. Results Seven randomized controlled trials with total of 949 patients met the included criteria. The metaanalysis showed the effective rate of ASAS 20 or ASAS 50 receiving Etanercept was significantly higher than in patients receiving placebo, while no significant differences were noted between the Etanercept and placebo group in other indices. There was no statistical significance among different dosages. Patient Injection-site reaction rate for Etanercept was higher than that for placebo. No significant differences were observed in other adverse effects. Conclusions Etanercept is safe and effective for patients with Ankylosing spondylitis, however, some trials included in the review were of poor quality, so we needed the multi-center, large-scale randomized controlled trials of higher quality and the same course of treatment to confirm this.
Objective To investigate the effect of the morphological changes in the proximal femur on the prothesis selection in the total hip arthroplasty in the patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Methods The experimental group was composed of 13 patients (16 hips) with ankylosing spondylitis, which was treated with the total hip arthroplasty, and the control group was composed of 16 patients（19 hips）with non-ankylosing spondylitis，which was also treated with the total hip arthroplasty. In the two groups, the measurements of Singh index，canal flare index，morphological index of the cortex and cortical index were performed in the two groups. Results The results of the statistical analysis on Singh index，canal flare index, morphological index of the cortex and cortical index in the experimental group were 3.81±0.54, 2.63±0.41, 2.02±0.38 and 1.69±0.69, respectively, but 4.63±0.62, 3.03±0.27, 2.76±0.28 and 2.12±0.24, respectively in the control group. Therewas a significant difference in Singh index, canal flare index, and morphological index of the cortex between the two groups (Plt;0.05)，while there was no statistical difference in cortical index between the two groups (P＞0.05). The patientswith ankylosing spondylitis had more serious osteoporosis in their proximal femur. Conclusion Cemented femoral prosthesis should be used in the total hip replacement in patients with ankylosing spondylitis, and the revision total hip arthroplasty should be performed on patients with more serious osteoporosis.
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of methotrexate (MTX) in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified from CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library Issue 4, 2005); MEDLINE (1966 to November 2005); EMBASE (1980 to November 2005); CINAHL (1982 to November 2005). The quality of included trials was evaluated. Data were extracted by two reviewers independently using a specially designed extraction form. The Cochrane Collaboration’s RevMan 4.2 software was used for data analysis. Results Three trials involving 116 patients were included. One 12-month trial compared naproxen plus MTX with naproxen alone. Two 24-week trials compared different doses of MTX with placebo. No statistically significant differences were found for the primary outcome measures of physical function, pain, spinal mobility, peripheral joints/entheses pain, swelling and tenderness, changes in spine radiographs and patient and physician global assessment. The response rate in one trial showed statistically significant benefits of 36% in the MTX group compared with the placebo group (RR 3.18, 95% CI 1.03 to 9.79). This response rate was a composite index including assessment of morning stiffness, physical well-being, Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI), Bath ankylosing spondylitis functional index (BASFI), health assessment questionnaire for spondyloarthropathies (HAQ-S), and physician and patient global assessment. However, no single outcome showed a statistically significant difference between the MTX and placebo groups when endpoint results were compared. Therefore, this benefit of MTX was questionable. No serious side effects were reported in these studies. Conclusions There is no enough evidence to show any benefit of MTX in the treatment of AS. High quality randomized controlled trials of longer duration and with larger sample size are needed to clarify the effect of MTX on AS.
Objective To study the imaging features of the hip joint by measuring the imaging parameters of spine, pelvis, and hip joint before and after total hip arthroplasty (THA) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) undergoing THA so as to provide reference for selection of operation methods and prosthesis. Methods Between January and July 2015, 38 patients (56 hips) with AS underwent primary THA as AS group, and 36 patients (45 hips) with osteonecrosis of the femoral head underwent THA as control group. There was no significant difference in side (χ2=1.14,P=0.95). The acetabular abduction angle (ABA), acetabular anteversion angle (AVA), center collum diaphyseal (CCD), offset, height from rotation center to lesser trochanter (HRCLT), femoral intertrochanteric distance (FID) were measured by CT three-dimensional morphology. The canal flare index (CFI), cortical thickness index (CTI), pelvic incidence (PI), sacral slope (SS), and pelvic tilt (PT) were measured by X-ray film before operation. The AVA, ABA, and the filling ratio were measured on the postoperative X-ray film. Results There was no significant difference in preoperative AVA and ABA and postoperative ABA between 2 groups (P>0.05), but significant difference was found in postoperative AVA (t=6.71,P=0.00). The mean PI, SS, and PT in AS group were 48.37° (range, 41-58°), 5.64°(range, 2-11°), and 12.85° (range, 5-26°), respectively. There was significant difference in CCD, CFI, and CTI between 2 groups (t=3.63,P=0.04;t=5.12,P=0.02;t=3.91,P=0.04), but offset, HRCLT, and FID all showed no significant difference (t=0.41,P=0.36;t=0.33,P=0.56;t=0.59,P=0.12). On the basis of the Noble classification, medullary cavity of the femur was rated as chimney type, ordinary type, and champagne flute type in 32, 18, and 6 hips of AS group, and in 4, 28, and 13 hips of control group respectively. Filling ratio of distal segment in AS group was significantly lower than that in control group (t=5.64,P=0.02), but there was no significant difference in the filling ratio of middle and proximal segments between 2 groups (t=0.29,P=0.61;t=0.55,P=0.13). Conclusion Compared with patients having osteonecrosis of the femeral head, there is no significant difference in preoperative AVA and ABA, but postoperative AVA significantly increase in patients with AS. Because AS patients have mainly chimney type medullary cavity of the femur, the filling ratio of middle and distal segment is lower when tapered stems are used, and the filling ratio of anatomic stems is higher.