Scientists have pinpointed the cause of a debilitating back problem that affects thousands, leading to hope that it could pave the way for new treatments.
Until now the exact driver of axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) – a form of chronic inflammatory arthritis – has not been known.
Experts knew that patients diagnosed with the condition had an abundance of an inflammatory protein known as Interleukin-17 (IL-17) but were unsure why.
Now researchers at Oxford University alongside the charity Versus Arthritis have found it is caused by a specific cell found in tissue around joints.
Rather than circulating around the body, the team found that in patients with the condition these cells became trapped in the joints, producing inflammation in the area, which led to SpA.
