[Early diagnosis and prognosis of ankylosing spondylitis]

The first EDV-evaluations of miltilateral study of countries belonging to the council of mutual economic aid together with the research institutes for rheumatism Moscow, Piestany and Warsaw concerning early diagnostic symptoms of spondylitis ankylosans are discussed. According to this anemnestic data on lumber pains in the second half of the night with morning rigidity, frequently combined with pseudoradicular unilateral irradiations into the thigh (at least 3 months) possess an approximate leading character as prodromi. Other reference signs, such as relapsing iritides, mono-oligo-arthritides as well as the proof of the histocompatibility antigen HLA-B 27 lead to the tentative diagnosis which becomes clinically evident by supervening of functional disturbances of the spine and humoral inflammatory parameters. The definitive diagnosis demands radiological confirmation. Dispensary care with early complex therapy improves the prognosis with regard to an untimely invalidisation.