Non-Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA): Symptoms & Signs

Medically Reviewed on 10/16/2019

Non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) refers to a condition that produces the characteristic symptoms of a condition known as ankylosing spondylitis (AS). The difference between nr-axSpA and AS is that AS leads to recognizable changes on X-rays while people with nr-axSpA do not have any abnormalities on X-rays that would suggest AS.

Chronic back pain is the main symptom of nr-axSpA. The pain is typically worse late at night or in the early morning. Symptoms begin in the teenage years or in young adulthood. Another associated symptom of nr-axSpA is uveitis (a form of eye inflammation).

Cause of non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA)

Doctors do not understand the cause of nr-axSpA, but genetic factors as well as responses to bacterial infections may play a role in its development.

Other non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis symptoms

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References
Jameson, J. Larry, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 20th Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2018.