Martin Rudwaleit

TL;DR: With a calculated prevalence of 1.9%, spondylarthropathies are among the most frequent rheumatic diseases in the white population and HLA-B27 positive persons carry a 20-fold increased risk of developing SpA.

TL;DR: There was broad agreement, now better supported by data than in 2012, that remission/inactive disease and, alternatively, low/minimal disease activity are the principal targets for the treatment of PsA.

TL;DR: This study shows that on a short-term basis, treatment with etanercept is clearly efficacious in patients with active AS who are receiving NSAID therapy but not DMARDs or steroids, and shows that it seems probable that etanenercept must be administered continuously in most AS patients to achieve permanent inhibition of the inflammatory process.

TL;DR: The task force defined the treatment target for SpA as remission or, alternatively, low disease activity, being aware that the evidence base is not strong and needs to be expanded by future research.

TL;DR: Patients fulfilling the ASAS axial SpA criteria, which also include patients fulfilling the modified New York criteria for ankylosing spondylitis, can be treated with anti-TNF agents, making an earlier start in the disease process possible.