By Bront毛 H. Lacsamana
WHEN FREQUENT听and persistent back pain greatly reduces one鈥檚 mobility, doesn鈥檛 improve with rest, and disturbs sleep, a chronic illness called axial听spondyloarthritis听(AxSpA) could be the culprit.听
鈥淚f detected late, there is really deformity and it鈥檚 debilitating. It impacts patients鈥 most productive years,鈥 said Dr. Evan Glenn S. Vista, a rheumatologist at St. Luke鈥檚 Medical Center,听explaining the effects听of the听inflammatory disease that involves the spine and the joints that connect the spine to the pelvis.听
鈥淓ven if it does not equate to the number of Filipinos with, say, hypertension or diabetes, this subset of patients in the population will be able to contribute to society if their听AxSpA听is controlled properly,鈥 he added at a recent webinar on bones and joints.听听
There are two types of听AxSpA: non-radiographic (nr-axSpA) and radiographic, also known as ankylosing spondylitis (AS). The biggest difference between the two is that nr-axSpA听doesn鈥檛 show up as spinal damage on a scan (such as an X-ray or magnetic resonance imaging) while AS does.听听
The lack of visible inflammation on an X-ray can lead to a delay in diagnosis, which can be done by a primary care physician or, better still, by a rheumatologist, Dr. Vista said.听听
Based on the International Map of Axial听Spondyloarthritis听(IMAS) online survey conducted in 2021, the average delay in diagnosis runs over seven years, with 81% of patients losing spinal mobility within the first 10 years of the disease.听听
鈥淭he age of onset is mid-20s, normally the most productive time of life. Late diagnosis and inadequate treatment have potential socioeconomic consequences,鈥 he added.听听
SELF WORTH, MENTAL HEALTH
The听听(ASAPh), the Philippine Rheumatology Association (PRA), and pharmaceutical company Novartis renewed their partnerships to strengthen public knowledge of听AxSpA听and its early diagnosis and treatment.听听
Got UR Back, a听campaign headed by听ASAPh, invites听AxSpA听patients to share their experiences of the condition for the medical community in the Philippines to listen to and act on.听ASAPh听has also encouraged patients to take the ongoing IMAS online survey, a global case study that seeks to shed light on the patient experience.听听
鈥淭here鈥檚 currently no government program for听AxSpA,鈥 said Clark Ferrer, President of听ASAPh, who also suffers from the disease. 鈥淥ur vision is to have a forum with the government, so we can have a healthcare policy to provide for Filipinos with听AxSpA.鈥澨
He听shared his own听21-year听journey, from听being bedridden due to听frequent back pain to the decaying of his self-worth and mental health.听听
Dr. Juan Javier Lichauco, president of the PRA, acknowledged that听AxSpA听patients today have a better support system and newer听treatment听options: 鈥淭he presence and development of biologics really changed the quality of life of our patients. They have the ability to address symptoms of pain now, and these drugs have the ability to stop the progression of disease.鈥澨
PRA also offers Clarrio, a mobile application that aims to help individuals suffering from chronic low back pain. Available for free on听the听App Store and Google Play, it allows users to categorize the level and nature of their pain and gives them tools to monitor and manage it. The app also connects to the PRA website, which lists over 200 rheumatologists and links to telemedicine services.听
