Dutch patients with familial and sporadic ankylosing spondylitis do not differ in disease phenotype.

Abstract

To assess potential differences in the phenotypic expression between familial and sporadic ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Clinical data from the patient record forms were compared between 55 patients with AS from multicase families (i.e., families in which > or = 2 first-degree relatives have the disease) (familial AS) and 110 sex and age matched patients with AS who did not have a first-degree relative with the disease (sporadic AS). Between familial and sporadic AS no differences were found in age at disease onset, age at diagnosis, or prevalences of peripheral arthritis and acute anterior uveitis. Potential differences in genetic makeup are not reflected in differences in the phenotypic expression of familial and sporadic AS.