Ankylosing spondylitis around subtotal colectomy

What is known

• Case reports describe severe concomitant ankylosing spondylitis and [Crohn's disease](https://crohnsology.org (patient sites: crohnz.org)/) improving with infliximab, an anti-TNF agent. ^1,2
• In a patient with refractory Crohn's disease and concomitant ankylosing spondylitis, both remained clinically active despite multiple biologic and small-molecule therapies, and were addressed with combination biologic therapy rather than surgery. ³
• Ankylosing spondylitis and Crohn's disease co-occur, with ankylosing spondylitis reported in roughly 4-10% of IBD patients. ¹

What is unknown / caveats

• Evidence is limited to case reports and cohort descriptions; no study in the excerpts directly tracks ankylosing spondylitis activity before versus after colectomy
• Excerpts do not address perioperative continuation, holding, or timing of biologic therapy around subtotal colectomy
• The excerpts do not directly measure ankylosing spondylitis activity after colectomy, so the expectation of non-resolution is inferred from its independent, axial course and treatment reports.

References

1. Rebelo A, Leite S, Cotter J. Association of ankylosing spondylitis and Crohn's disease successfully treated with infliximab. BioDrugs. 2010. PMID: 21175236.

2. Rednic S, Marinescu C, Chira R, Rogojan L, Rednic N. Treatment with infliximab in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis and Crohn's disease. J Gastrointestin Liver Dis. 2006. PMID: 17205151.

3. Vieujean S, Peyrin-Biroulet L. Triple biologic therapy for refractory Crohn's disease. J Crohns Colitis. 2025;19(5):ePub only. PMID: 40251965.

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Draft, generated by the IBDology RAG and not yet clinician-reviewed. Answers are grounded in the retrieved literature listed above; a high faithfulness score means the answer matches its sources, not that the sources are correct.