There is not enough evidence to support any benefit of sulfasalazine in reducing pain , disease activity , radiographic progression , or improving physical function and spinal mobility in the treatment of AS .
A statistically significant benefit in reducing the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and easing spinal stiffness was mentioned in the previous version .
More withdrawals because of side effects occurred with sulfasalazine .
BACKGROUND Ankylosing spondylitis ( AS ) is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown cause and affects mainly the spine , but can also affect other joints .
Disease progression may result in loss of mobility and function .
Sulfasalazine is a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug used in the treatment of AS .
However , its efficacy remains unclear .
This is an up date of a Cochrane review first published in 2005 .
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the benefits and harms of sulfasalazine for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis ( AS ) .
Sulfasalazine in the prevention of anterior uveitis associated with ankylosing spondylitis
Purpose : To assess the effects of sulfasalazine in preventing recurrences and reducing the severity of anterior uveitis associated with ankylosing spondylitis and chronic intestinal inflammation . Methods : Twenty-two patients with anterior uveitis associated with ankylosing spondylitis were studied . Ten patients were r and omised to receive oral sulfasalazine ( group 1 ) and 12 patients r and omised to no treatment ( group 2 ) ; all were followed for 3 years  . Blood-aqueous barrier permeability was determined by fluorophotometry and bowel biopsies were taken . Results : A statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding the number of recurrences of uveitis ( p = 0.016 ) . The blood-aqueous barrier permeability was significantly higher during acute attacks in group 2 ( group 1 : 31.3 ± 26.4 × 10−4 min−1 vs group 2 : 66.2 ± 28.5 × 10−4 min−1 ; p = 0.019 ) but not during the disease-free period . We observed a higher incidence of chronic intestinal inflammation at the end of the study in group 2 ( group 1 : 3/8 vs group 2 : 7/9 , p = 0.153 ) . No relation was observed between blood-aqueous barrier permeability and the number of recurrences . The number of patients with severe persistent posterior synechiae at the end of the study was higher in group 2 ( group 1 : 4 patients before and 4 patients at the end ; group 2 : 4 patients before and 8 patients at the end ; p = 0.65 ) . Conclusion : Sulfasalazine may be beneficial in preventing recurrences and reducing the severity of anterior uveitis associated with ankylosing spondylitis
There is not enough evidence to support any benefit of sulfasalazine in reducing pain , disease activity , radiographic progression , or improving physical function and spinal mobility in the treatment of AS .
A statistically significant benefit in reducing the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and easing spinal stiffness was mentioned in the previous version .
More withdrawals because of side effects occurred with sulfasalazine .
BACKGROUND Ankylosing spondylitis ( AS ) is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown cause and affects mainly the spine , but can also affect other joints .
Disease progression may result in loss of mobility and function .
Sulfasalazine is a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug used in the treatment of AS .
However , its efficacy remains unclear .
This is an up date of a Cochrane review first published in 2005 .
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the benefits and harms of sulfasalazine for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis ( AS ) .