Abstract
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease, typically affecting the axial skeleton, associated with structural changes on imaging (magnetic resonance, X-ray). Inflammatory back pain is a typical AS symptom.
Timely diagnosis, adequate therapy and lifestyle changes may all lead to remission or at least low disease activity, preventing irreversible changes of the axial skeleton. Secukinumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody against interleukin 17A.
This cytokine plays a key role in AS pathogenesis, therefore representing a good therapeutic target. Secukinumab has shown both good effectiveness and safety in MEASURE 1-4 trials including AS patients.
Our case study concerning a young AS patient documents the long-term effects of secukinumab therapy and adherence to it.