ankylosing spondylitis n rheumatoid arthritis of the spine called also Marie-Strümpell disease, rheumatoid spondylitis
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a form of degenerative joint disease that affects the spine. It is a systemic illness of unknown etiology, affecting young persons predominantly, and producing pain and stiffness as a result of inflammation of the sacroiliac, intervertebral, and costovertebral joints; paraspinal calcification, with ossification and ankylosis of the spinal joints, may cause complete rigidity of the spine and thorax. Called also Bekhterev arthritis or disease, Bekhterev s.; Marie-StrÑŒmpell s. or disease; StrÑŒmpell-Marie disease; rheumatoid or rhizomelic s.; s. deformans; and rhizomelic spondylosis.Medical dictionary. 2011.