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2 months ago | 
ankylosingspondylitisnews.com | Alexandra Fendrich |Lisa Marie Basile |Jemma Newman |Margarida Maia
One evening in December, I scrolled through photos on my phone, looking back at each moment in time.
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Sep 16, 2024 | 
ankylosingspondylitisnews.com | Esteban Cerezo |Alexandra Fendrich |Jemma Newman |Patricia Inacio
Lower socioeconomic status is associated with more severe disease, longer diagnosis delays, and permanent disability in people with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a Spanish study showed. Even with similar access to disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), socioeconomic status may be a significant factor for understanding health outcomes differences between AS patients, the scientists suggested.
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Jul 9, 2024 | 
ankylosingspondylitisnews.com | Alexandra Fendrich |Margarida Maia |Jemma Newman
It’s summer, which means I want to spend more time outside, preferably near water with an ice cream in hand. Living with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) has required me to have a different form of “hot girl summer,” though, as I manage the ups and downs of flares — periods of disease when my pain and stiffness increase. Beyond trying various medications, I’ve identified strategies to help me function amid periods of high inflammation. They’ve been crucial to how I navigate my disease.
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Apr 22, 2024 | 
ankylosingspondylitisnews.com | Margarida Maia |Patricia Inacio |Jemma Newman
Nearly half of patients admitted to the hospital for ankylosing spondylitis (AS) are discharged to somewhere other than home or return to the hospital within three months, according to a study from over 150 hospitals under HCA Healthcare. Receiving medications such as opioids and steroids during a hospital stay were among the factors that stacked the odds against being discharged home, whereas having a surgical procedure, among other factors, increased the odds of being readmitted.
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Mar 5, 2024 | 
ankylosingspondylitisnews.com | Jemma Newman |Margarida Maia |Lindsey Shapiro
When I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in December 2019, I frequently felt anxious, miserable, and utterly exhausted about my future. But if I could go back and tap myself (gently) on the shoulder at that difficult time, I’d have some encouraging thoughts to share. If anyone reading this column is in a similar cave of darkness because of AS, I hope that a bit of positivity will help to balance out the challenges. “Psst,” I’d whisper in the ear of my younger, pain-riddled self.
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Feb 26, 2024 | 
ankylosingspondylitisnews.com | Lindsey Shapiro |Jemma Newman |Marisa Wexler MS |Iqra Mumal
People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at significantly higher risk for various forms of spondyloarthritis (SpA), including ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a study found. But the reverse wasn’t true: Having SpA was not linked to an increased risk of developing IBD, according to the new analysis, which used genetic data. The researchers had aimed to identify relationships between the two conditions, which often co-exist among patients.
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Feb 12, 2024 | 
ankylosingspondylitisnews.com | Margarida Maia |Jemma Newman |Patricia Inacio
A gene called NAT10 is less active in blood cells from people with new-onset ankylosing spondylitis (AS) than in those from healthy people, suggesting it may serve as a diagnostic biomarker, a study suggests. When combined with higher levels of immune cells called neutrophils, a less active NAT10 gene was linked to more severe disease, suggesting it also may be a biomarker for disease progression.
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Jan 30, 2024 | 
ankylosingspondylitisnews.com | Jemma Newman |Patricia Inacio
I start most days with a delicious berry smoothie for breakfast. Even after five years of eating a daily smoothie since being diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), I’m still not sick of it. One reason I choose a smoothie is because I can easily add collagen powder into the mix, which I believe can help with my AS joint inflammation. Plus, a thick smoothie is like having ice cream for breakfast — and, honestly, who wouldn’t love that?
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Jan 29, 2024 | 
ankylosingspondylitisnews.com | Patricia Inacio |Lindsey Shapiro |Jemma Newman |Margarida Maia
The levels of circulating cell-free DNA may be a biomarker for assessing disease activity and treatment response in people with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). The study, “Circulating cell-free DNA correlate to disease activity and treatment response of patients with radiographic axial spondyloarthritis” was published in Scientific Reports. AS is a type of arthritis that features the inflammation of the sacroiliac joints, where the base of the spine connects with the pelvis.
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Jan 16, 2024 | 
ankylosingspondylitisnews.com | Jemma Newman |Margarida Maia
I recently had to get a full spine MRI to check the progression of my ankylosing spondylitis (AS). It didn’t hurt in the slightest, but I found it to be an intense sensory experience. Many AS patients get an MRI as part of their diagnosis. It’s a safe and noninvasive way to evaluate the spine and joints that might be affected by AS, including the sacroiliac joints. I knew the procedure would be painless, but I still felt slightly nervous on the drive to the radiology clinic.
