The spondyloarthropathies are a family of clinically, epidemiologically, and genetically related inflammatory diseases that primarily affect spinal and peripheral joints. Peripheral joints are affected, typically in an oligoarticular and asymmetrical pattern.
Inflammation occurs both along the spine and near peripheral joints.
Disease onset typically occurs in young adulthood. Certain bacteria play important pathogenetic roles. Because of such patients, the European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group proposed classification criteria for spondyloarthropathies that may be useful in clinical diagnosis and epidemiologic studies.