Ankylosing Spondylitis - Paper Example

Introduction

Ankylosing spondylitis is a disease of chronic inflammation that causes axial arthritis, occasionally early in the course of the disease leads to inflammation pain at the low back, with spinal mobility eventual impairment that is severe as a result of the structural transition, which in turn causes spinal fusion. The causation agents of ankylosing spondylitis or that have been associated with its cause have not been found. Some interactions are complex between the inflammation of acute phase reactants and the increased levels of serum of immunoglobulin A and the immune system of the body and the HLA-B27 gene (Taurog et al., 2016).

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I have formed a partial illness script for a better understanding of the disease. Therefore, the illness script below entails pathophysiology, epidemiology, and time course of the ankylosing spondylitis (Pedersen & Maksymowych, 2019)

Components Ankylosing spondylitis

Pathophysiology - Individuals suffering from ankylosing spondylitis usually carry the human leukocyte antigen B27 gene (HLA-B27).

• progression of the disease leads to the destruction of the nearby joint tissues or the articular tissues. The new and original replacement of the cartilages by bone through the fusion causes immobility and stiffness and the joining up of the joint bones.

Epidemiology - Ankylosing spondylitis prevalence in the population rises to an approximate of 5% among HLA-B27 positive patients.

• The disease is more frequent in men compared to women.
• The onset of the disease peaks in the age of second and third life decades.

Time course - The structural progression of ankylosing spondylitis is greatly unpredictable in people, usually changing with periods of quiescence and acceleration—the symptoms at an early age and advance at older ages.

An illustration: During a dietary study very early in the morning, Jerry, a 22-year-old college student, complained of pain, soreness, and back stiffness that usually worsens every morning hours making him have an inadequate sleep. Following the complaints of Jerry, it seemed that the ankylosing spondylitis was developing in his body. It was, therefore, essential to issue Jerry with a properly balanced diet that he should take to prevent the occurrence of ankylosing spondylitis symptoms as they prolong. Which of the following diets is the odd one out?

1. Omega- 3 fatty acids
2. Whole grains
3. Vegetables and fruits
4. High-fat foods
5. Drinking plenty of fluids

Explanation: The correct answer is D. High-fat foods. Considering Jerry's problem being associated with inflammation, high-fat foods may trigger inflammation and, as a result, raise the heart disease risk. Therefore, it is essential to choose foods that aids in fighting inflammation, keeping the heart healthy as well as keeping the bones strong. Thus, Jerry would be advised to keep his food diary and then track the kinds of food that make him feel worse or better. Omega-3 fatty acids are rerecommended. These are fats that are found in fish oil supplements or cold-water fish, and they have been confirmed to reduce inflammation. The research indicates that individuals with ankylosing spondylitis who often take the higher omega-3 fatty acids supplement had a great decrease in their symptoms when compared to those individuals who took lower omega dose (Jethwa et al., 2019).

Whole grains are advisable. Since the ankylosing spondylitis inflammation can tamper with the heart and joints, whole grains such as buckwheat, brown rice, and quinoa should be part of Jerry's diet. They are also good for heart health. Vegetables and fruits are recommended. Eating a lot of vegetables and fruits, especially the ones which are colorful, help with the symptoms of arthritis since they are high in antioxidants that protect cells from free radicals substances that are contributing to inflammation. Drinking plenty of fluids is also very essential. Taking 8 to 12 glasses of water every day is very crucial for anyone plus those with ankylosing spondylitis. Alcohol intake should be limited because it contributes to weaker bones (Jethwa et al., 2019).

References

Jethwa, H., Prince, M., Bukhari, M., & Abraham, S. (2019). The evidence for dietary manipulation in inflammatory arthritis. International Journal of Clinical Rheumatology, 14(5), 190. https://www.openaccessjournals.com/articles/the-evidence-for-dietary-manipulation-in-inflammatory-arthritis-13072.html

Pedersen, S. J., & Maksymowych, W. P. (2019). The Pathogenesis of Ankylosing Spondylitis: an Update. Current Rheumatology Reports, 21(10), 1-10.

Taurog, J. D., Chhabra, A., & Colbert, R. A. (2016). Ankylosing spondylitis and axial spondyloarthritis. New England Journal of Medicine, 374(26), 2563-2574. https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMra1406182