Spondyloarthritis 2006; The Unmet Needs

描述(申请人提供)：脊柱关节炎(SpA)包括一组重叠的疾病，其特征是周围和/或脊柱关节发炎。这些疾病表现出明显的家族聚集性，通常与主要组织相容性复合体(MHC)的HLA基因有关，特别是与HLA-B27(1，2)有关。脊柱关节炎涵盖的疾病家族包括：1)强直性脊柱炎；2)反应性关节炎，以前称为赖特氏综合征；3)牛皮癣关节炎和/或脊柱炎，4)肠病性关节炎和/或脊柱炎(与炎症性肠道疾病、溃疡性结肠炎或克罗恩病有关)；5)幼年脊柱炎和5)未分化SPA，包括表现出上述疾病之一的元素但未能达到可接受标准的患者。虽然在分类、遗传学和治疗领域取得了重大进展，但在确定疾病发病的触发因素方面进展较少，特别是在进一步确定感染或肠道触发因素的作用方面。同样，在骨、软骨和关节免疫病理学方面与SpA的发病机制相关的进展很少，特别是在人类白细胞抗原-B27和细胞因子在启动和促进疾病进展方面的作用方面，鉴于疾病对抗肿瘤坏死因子阻滞剂的显著反应，这是一个特别相关的领域。 这项申请的目的是为2006年3月30日和31日在利斯特山礼堂举行的为期两天的会议申请资金。这次会议的总体目标是将几个不同科学领域的专家聚集在一起，以促进对AS的分类、发病机制和管理的多学科方法。这包括吸引新的科学学科对脊柱炎的研究以及加强和扩大现有的研究领域。最终，人们希望这个论坛将为脊柱性关节炎研究提供新的方向，改变已建立的领域的方向，并邀请来自脊柱性关节炎研究学科内外领域的已建立的研究人员之间进行新的合作。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Spondyloarthritis (SpA) encompasses a group of overlapping diseases characterized by inflammation of the peripheral and/or spinal joints. These disorders show striking familial aggregation and are typically associated with HLA genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), particularly HLA-B27 (1, 2). The family of diseases encompassed by Spondyloarthritis includes: 1) ankylosing spondylitis; 2) reactive arthritis known previously as Reiter's syndrome; 3) psoriatic arthritis and/or spondylitis, 4) enteropathic arthritis and/or spondylitis (associated with the inflammatory bowel diseases, ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease); 5) juvenile Spondyloarthritis and 5) undifferentiated SpA, which encompasses patients expressing elements of but failing to fulfill accepted criteria for one of the above diseases. Although significant advances have been made in the areas of classification, genetics and treatment, less progress has been made in defining what triggers disease onset, particularly in further defining the role of infectious or enteric triggers. Similarly, there have been few advances in bone, cartilage and joint immunopathology that relates to the pathogenesis of SpA, particularly as regards the role of HLA-B27 and cytokines in initiating and promoting disease progression, a particularly relevant area given the remarkable response of the disease to anti-TNF blockers. The aim of this application is to request funding for a two day meeting at the Lister Hill Auditorium to be held on March 30 and 31, 2006. The overall goal of this conference is to bring together experts in several different scientific areas to foster multidisciplinary approaches to the classification, pathogenesis and management of AS. This includes the attraction of new scientific disciplines to Spondyloarthritis research and to strengthen and extend existing areas of research. Ultimately it is hope that this forum will provide new directions for Spondyloarthritis research, to redirect established areas and to invite new collaborations between established investigators from areas within and outside the discipline of Spondyloarthritis research.