Question

A 50yr old male with backache & morning stiffness, red eye, ankle swelling

• A. Ankylosing Spondylitis
• B. Healed TB spine
• C. Pagets
• D. Osteopetrosis

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

The clinical presentation of a 50-year-old male with backache, morning stiffness, red eye, and ankle swelling is suggestive of a condition consistent with the characteristics of Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). This condition is an inflammatory disease that primarily affects the spine and sacroiliac joints, leading to severe, chronic pain and discomfort. The mention of morning stiffness aligns with inflammatory back pain typical in AS. Furthermore, AS is part of the group of rheumatic diseases known as spondyloarthropathies, which are known to present with extra-articular manifestations like uveitis, which can cause a red eye, and enthesitis, which can result in localized pain and swelling such as around the ankles. Considering the other options:

• Healed TB spine refers to a condition where the individual has had tuberculosis affecting the spine, potentially leading to kyphosis and chronic back pain, but is less likely to cause red eyes and ankle swelling.
• Paget's Disease involves abnormal bone growth most commonly in pelvis, skull, spine, and legs, which may cause pain, but does not typically cause morning stiffness or eye involvement.
• Osteopetrosis is characterized by osteoclast dysfunction leading to excessive calcified bones, potentially causing brittle bones, but not typically associated with inflammatory symptoms like morning stiffness, red eyes, or ankle swelling.

Therefore, based on the symptoms provided, Ankylosing Spondylitis is the condition that most closely matches the patient’s presentation.