ABSTRACT
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a relatively common chronic inflammatory disorder that more often manifests in young males than in females. The disease presents with low back pain and morning stiffness due to a chronic inflammation of the sacroiliac (SI) joints and vertebral column. This inflammatory process can result in destruction of the vertebral column leading to postural deformities, like ankylosis of the cervical spine and kyphosis of the thoracic spine. Extraspinal manifestations of the disease consist of arthritis of the peripheral joints (especially knees, shoulders, and hips), resulting in joint destruction that sometimes necessitates joint replacement, anterior uveitis, enthesitis, and cardiac and pulmonary complications (1,2).
