AIM: To investigate the association between the degree of anterioruveitis and related factors including inflammatory markers as well as sacroiliac joint imaging in patients with ankylosing spondylitis(AS).

METHODS: Anterior changes evaluated by slit lamp, erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR), C-reactive protein(CRP)and magnetic resonance imaging of 55 cases with AS associateduveitis were retrospectively analyzed. A modified endotoxin-induced uveitis(EIU)clinical standard was used for uveitis grading. SPARCC sacroiliac scoring was used to evaluate bone edema of sacroiliac joint. The correlation between the degree of uveitis and sacroiliitis was assessed.

RESULTS: In the 55 patients with AS, EIU grading scored 2-10, and SPARCC index scored 0-22. Further analysis showed that the severity of uveitis was significantly correlated with ESR(r=0.869, P<0.001)and CRP(r=0.485, P<0.001). The degree of anterior uveitis in AS patients was not correlated with inflammation of sacroiliac joint(r=0.237, P=0.081).

CONCLUSION: Local autoimmunity of uveitis and sacroiliac joint inflammation with subsequent bone formation in AS might be mutually independent processes.