Traditional and new types of spondarthritis with special consideration of spondylodiscitis

In rheumatology the so-called "seronegative spondarthritis" is a group of diseases characterized by the presence of HLA-B 27. This group includes the typical ankylosing spondylitis as well as atypical spondylopathies such as those occurring in psoriasis, Reiter's disease and chronic inflammatory enteropathies, which attack mainly the spine and secondarily the peripheral joints. In some severe cases, non-infectious, sterile spondylodiscitis was observed. These can lead to instability and fracture, followed by pseudarthrosis of the involved segment of the spine. In contrast to these traditional spondarthritides three new types are marked by the lack of HLA-B 27. 1) "Spondarthritis hyperostoti…