LATE-ONSET UNDIFFERENTIATED SERONEGATIVE SPONDYLOARTHROPATHY

Objective, To define the clinical spectrum of late onset undifferentia ted seronegative spondyloarthropathy (uSpA) based on a large number of patients. Methods, All consecutive patients older than 45 years at th e onset of SpA and not meeting criteria for any of the definite catego ries of the SpA complex seen in the 1988-1993 period were entered in a special register and were followed prospectively. Results. Twenty-thr ee patients (mean age at onset 56.9, range 46-72; mean age at the last visit 61.7, range 48-79) were studied, Of these, 12 had 3 or more cli nical and/or radiological manifestations of SpA, while 7 showed only 2 , and 4 only one. Of the 10 patients with peripheral arthritis, only 3 had the large pitting edema of the lower limbs described by Dubost an d Sauvezie. Of the 4 patients with only one manifestation, 2 had perip heral enthesitis and 2 acute anterior uveitis. Conclusion, The clinica l spectrum of late onset uSpA is as wide as in children and young and middle aged adults.