Papers of the Week

Prognosis and functional outcomes in patients with spondyloarthritis. Even if the course of spondyloarthritis is difficult to predict at the individual level, the prognosis is globally good. Whatever the phenotype, the functional impact is a possible cause of handicap at all stages of the disease. Pain, stiffness and fatigue are the main symptoms. Severe forms may progress to disabling structural damage. The predictors for poor outcomes are the following: early onset of the disease, hip involvement, peripheral joint involvement, smoking, biological inflammatory syndrome, and poor treatment efficacy. The goal of management is to improve quality of life, control symptoms and inflammation, prevent structural damage and preserve or restore functional abilities. Diagnosis and management should be as early as possible to limit the functional consequences of the disease.