What are the examination items for ankylosing spondylitis?

Ankylosing spondylitis can also affect young men between the ages of 16 and 25. Generally speaking, the onset is relatively hidden, and there are no symptoms in the early stages. Some patients will have milder symptoms, such as fatigue, weight loss, or low fever, anemia, etc. Because the condition is relatively mild, many people do not pay attention to it. So, what are the examination items for ankylosing spondylitis?

Ankylosing spondylitis is a difficult and complicated disease worldwide, involving multiple systems, including genetic factors, immune dysfunction, multiple internal organs, tendon tissue inflammation, and bone tissue necrosis. There are many causes of the disease, the pathological process is long, the condition is complex and changeable, remission and attacks occur alternately, and the course of the disease can last for several years or even decades. Therefore, it is far from enough to use only one or two drugs and one system treatment. It is necessary to take corresponding, effective, and planned long-term comprehensive treatments for different systems and different conditions in order to achieve the goal of clinically curing ankylosing spondylitis.

The inspection items can be divided into the following three categories:

1. Mandatory examination items: routine blood test, routine urine test, routine stool test + occult blood, liver function test, renal function test, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, rheumatoid factor, HHLA phase, lumbar spine anteroposterior and lateral phase, pelvic anteroposterior phase (or sacroiliac joint CT), hip abduction film (or hip joint CT).

2. Differential diagnosis: If accompanied by peripheral joint swelling and pain, or fever and rash, other rheumatic and immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus need to be excluded. Antinuclear antibodies, anti-soluble antigens, anti-keratin antibodies, anti-perinuclear factors, anti-cyclic citrullinated antibodies, and anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies can be checked.

3. Optional examination items include chest anteroposterior and lateral positions, thoracic spine anteroposterior and lateral positions, X-rays of affected joints, spine MRI, MRI of affected joints, bone density, bone metabolism, joint ultrasound, cardiac color Doppler examination, abdominal B-ultrasound, complement C3, C4, immunoglobulins IgG, IgM, IgA, HBsAg, myocardial enzymes, blood lipids, blood ions, ophthalmological examination, dynamic electrocardiogram, chest CT, urine protein quantification, urine microprotein, urine red blood cell phase contrast microscopy, creatinine clearance, etc.

Patients should pay attention to maintaining a normal posture, keep their chest up and abdomen in when walking and sitting, do not use pillows when sleeping, it is best to sleep on a hard mattress, it is best to lie flat, do not overwork, prevent the condition from worsening, maintain an optimistic attitude, do not smoke or drink, go to bed on time, and do not be overly nervous or excited.