Pain in ankylosing spondylitis: a neuro-immune collaboration

Key Points Inflammatory mediators can directly and indirectly induce pain Pain in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is not strictly inflammatory and involves a neuropathic component Brain abnormalities that underlie chronic pain can be detected in AS An individual's sex affects the degree of neuro-immune involvement in pain, and sex differences in pain perception might contribute to sexual dimorphisms in AS presentation Pain in AS might involve distinct molecular underpinnings and so strategies to treat pain might differ from those that target inflammation