spondylitis
[spon″dĭ-li´tis]inflammation of the vertebrae, usually a serious and chronic disorder. It may be associated with tuberculosis of the bones, in which case it is called pott's disease. The vertebrae become eroded and collapse, causing kyphosis. Spondylitis may also be associated with other infectious diseases, such as brucellosis, in which the intervertebral disks and the vertebrae are affected and sometimes destroyed; this is one cause of ankylosing spondylitis, a particularly serious variety.
ankylosing spondylitis (Bekhterev's spondylitis) a form of rheumatoid arthritis that affects the spine, characterized by inflammation of the facet joints and inflammatory changes of the stabilizing ligaments of the spine (enthesopathy). It affects males almost exclusively. There is stiffening of spinal joints and ligaments, so that movement becomes increasingly painful and difficult. When it runs its full course, it results in bony ankylosis of the vertebral joints, which may extend to the ribs and limit the flexibility of the rib cage, so that breathing is impaired. Called also Marie-Strümpell disease or spondylitis and rheumatoid spondylitis.
Typical posture of patient with ankylosing spondylitis. From Copstead and Banasik, 2000.
Kümmell's spondylitis Kümmell's disease.
Marie-Strümpell spondylitis ankylosing spondylitis.
post-traumatic spondylitis Kümmell's disease.
rheumatoid spondylitis ankylosing spondylitis.
Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. © 2003 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.
spon·dy·li·tis
(spon-di-lī'tis),Inflammation of one or more of the vertebrae.
[spondyl- + G. -itis, inflammation]
Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
spondylitis
(spŏn′dl-ī′tĭs)n.
Inflammation of the vertebrae.
The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2007, 2004 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
spondylitis
Orthopedics Inflammation of one or more vertebrae. See Ankylosing spondylitis.McGraw-Hill Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
spon·dy·li·tis
(spon'di-lī'tis)Inflammation of one or more vertebrae.
[G. spondylos, vertebrae + G. -itis, inflammation]
Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012
spondylitis
Inflammation of any of the joints between the VERTEBRAE of the spine. This may occur in OSTEOARTHRITIS, RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS, or, more specifically, in ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS.Collins Dictionary of Medicine © Robert M. Youngson 2004, 2005
Spondylitis
An inflammation of the spine.
Mentioned in: Ankylosing Spondylitis
Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
Patient discussion about spondylitis
Q. Is ankylosing spondylitis genetically inherited?
A. It is known today that ankylosing spondylitis (spondyloarthritis) has a very strong genetic connection. It is not a disease inhertited by a single gene that is dominant, but certainly there is genetic predisposition in families (and a more detailed information- about 90% of the patients express the HLA-B27 genotype).
This content is provided by iMedix and is subject to iMedix Terms. The Questions and Answers are not endorsed or recommended and are made available by patients, not doctors.