Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of inflammatory arthritis that primarily affects the spine and sacroiliac joints, causing pain and stiffness that often starts in early adulthood. It affects roughly 1 in 200 people and can lead to spinal fusion if untreated. Treatment now centers on biologic drugs that target specific inflammatory pathways, allowing many people to maintain flexibility and function.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing JAK inhibitors that block inflammation with once-daily pills, newer TNF inhibitors and IL-17 blockers with less frequent dosing, and drugs targeting other inflammatory molecules like IL-23. Researchers are also studying imaging techniques to catch the disease earlier, before permanent damage occurs, and testing whether biologics can prevent progression to full ankylosing spondylitis in people with early back pain.
JAK inhibitors
Pills like upadacitinib and tofacitinib block JAK enzymes that drive inflammation inside cells. They offer an oral alternative to injected biologics and are being tested across the spectrum of axial spondyloarthritis.
Early intervention
Studies are testing whether starting biologics during non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis—before X-rays show damage—can prevent progression to ankylosing spondylitis. This could change the treatment window significantly.
IL-23 blockers
Drugs targeting IL-23, already approved for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, are being tested for ankylosing spondylitis. They may work in people who don't respond fully to TNF or IL-17 blockers.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on disease duration, current symptoms, inflammation markers like CRP, MRI findings, prior biologic use, and whether you have active inflammation despite NSAIDs.
What types of trials are currently open
- Biologic trials — Testing new TNF inhibitors, IL-17 blockers, and IL-23 blockers to see if they reduce pain and inflammation better or with fewer injections than current options.
- JAK inhibitor trials — Testing oral pills that block inflammation, comparing them to injectable biologics or adding them when biologics aren't enough.
- Early disease trials — Testing whether treating non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis early can prevent progression to ankylosing spondylitis with visible joint damage.
- Combination trials — Testing whether combining biologics with other anti-inflammatory drugs improves outcomes beyond biologics alone.
- Long-term studies — Following people on biologics for years to learn whether these drugs prevent spinal fusion and preserve mobility over time.
Recently added Ankylosing Spondylitis trials
Receive a nerve block injection to relieve persistent back pain
Despite adequate control of disease activity with standard medical therapies, there remains an ongoing need for complementary and interventional approaches for the management of persistent back pain in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Although the erector spinae plane block has been described in the literature as a safe and effective analgesic intervention for chronic back pain in various patient populations, to the best of our knowledge, no clinical study has specifically evaluated its use for persistent back pain in patients with ankylosing spondylitis receiving medical treatment. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate the effects of erector spinae plane block on pain severity and clinical outcomes in patients with ankylosing spondylitis whose disease activity is controlled under treatment but who continue to experience persistent back pain.
Complete posture and balance tests while reporting smartphone usage
The purpose of this cross-sectional and comparative study is to investigate the impact of smartphone addiction on the cervical posture, musculoskeletal system, balance, and tongue pressure in individuals diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), and to compare these findings with a healthy control group. Smartphone addiction has become a major contributing factor to postural alterations such as Text Neck Syndrome. This study aims to evaluate and compare the Craniovertebral Angle (CVA), neck extensor muscle strength, Pressure Pain Thresholds (PPT) of the neck and shoulder, Single-Leg Stance (SLS) static balance, and tongue pressure among three distinct groups. A healthy control group will be included as a reference baseline to differentiate the postural and functional deterioration caused by rheumatological diseases from the additional mechanical load imposed by smartphone dependency. To eliminate the misleading effects of acute pain, joint swelling, and severe functional limitations during flare-ups, only patients with stable disease activity (DAS28 \< 3.2 for RA and BASDAI \< 4 for AS) will be enrolled. This approach aims to examine the pure biomechanical relationship between technological dependency and cervical functions, independent of active systemic inflammation.
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