Aims and Objectives

About 1 in 3 axial spondyloarthritis (AxSpA) patients develop a painful eye condition called Acute Anterior Uveitis (AAU) before they develop AxSpA symptoms. Scientists have also found that AxSpA patients have high levels of an inflammatory protein called serum calprotectin in their blood. However, more research is needed before we can use this test to look for AxSpA. To facilitate early diagnosis and treatment, our study will:

(i) Look for AxSpA in patients presenting to the emergency eye clinic with AAU and see if such a screening program can help reduce the delay in diagnosis.

(ii) Use a blood test to measure serum calprotectin levels in participants and see if it can help identify patients with AxSpA.

We estimate that opportunistic screening for AxSpA amongst AAU patients could help diagnose an additional 2000-3000 AxSpA cases in the UK per year. Our study will last 2.5 years. Participants will have blood tests, an MRI scan and attend a clinic with doctors who specialise in diagnosing AxSpA. This will give prompt reassurance that participants are well, or enable swift treatment if there are signs of AxSpA.

Downloads

Click on the links below to download our patient information sheet and have a look at the slides from a recent focus group...