,,iv  #aag? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,h4 ,,res4 #ace  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,febru>y #ah1         
#bjba,ms4 ,matsui submitt$ ! foll[+     
resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee
 on ,en]gy & ,comm]ce  ,,resolution     
,express+ support = ! designation ( ,may
 #bjba z ,spondylo>?ritis ,aw>5ess      
,mon?4  ,:]eas spondylo>?ritis is ! "n  
giv5 to a family ( closely relat$1      
*ronic rheumatic diseases t pose a major
 heal? conc]n 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 impact+
 #a 9 #ajj ,am]icans2 ,:]eas            
spondylo>?ritis affects #c4b million    
adults 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 m ?an         
rheumatoid ar?ritis 7,,ra71 amyotrophic 
lat]al scl]osis 7,,als71 & multiple     
scl]osis 7,,ms7 comb9$2 ,:]eas          
spondylo>?ritis c occur e>ly 9 a p]son's
 life & is a condition = :i* !re is no  
kn[n cure2 ,:]eas e>ly diagnosis is     
critical 9 effectively treat+ ! disease1
 prev5t+ c]ta9 complications1 & improv+ 
quality ( life & function = ^? impact$ )
 spondylo>?ritis2 ,:]eas _m wom51       

especially ,black wom51 impact$ by !    
disease rema9 undiagnos$ due to         
inadequate aw>5ess1 ) ! av]age diagno/ic
 delay be+ sev5 to t5 ye>s2 ,:]eas !re  
are few] ?an #djj p$iatric              
rheumatologi/s 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates & almo/
 "o-f\r? ( ! #cjj1jjj *ildr5 ) ar?ritis 
mu/ travel #hj or m miles to see a      
rheumatologi/2 ,:]eas spondylo>?ritis   
includes ankylos+ spondylitis1 psoriatic
 ar?ritis1 reactive ar?ritis1 ent]opa?ic
 ar?ritis1 juv5ile spondylo>?ritis1     
undiff]5tiat$ spondylo>?ritis1 p]iph]al 
spondylo>?ritis1 axial spondylo>?ritis1 
& nonradiographic axial spondylo>?ritis2
 ,:]eas symptoms ( spondylo>?ritis      
typically beg9 be=e ! age ( #de1 ) e>ly 
signs includ+ frequ5t pa9 & /iffness 9 !
 l[] back & buttocks1 pa9 9 a p]iph]al  
jo9t su* z ! hip1 ankle1 elb[1 heel1 or 
%\ld]2 ,:]eas a portion ( p )           
spondylo>?ritis w progress to sp9al     
fusion & become prone to fractures1     
?oracic kyphosis1 or erod$ p]iph]al     
jo9ts especially ! hips & %\ld]s2 ,:]eas

 complications f spondylo>?ritis may    
cause s]i\s inflammation 9 o!r organs   
includ+ ! he>t1 lungs1 sk91 ga/ro9te/9al
 tract1 n]ves1 & eyes2 ,:]eas public    
aw>5ess & education campaigns on        
spondylo>?ritis & its symptoms1 t>get+  
bo? m$ical pr(essionals & ! g5]al       
public1 c increase ! likelihood ( e>li] 
diagnosis to improve heal? outcomes =   
pati5ts & support an in=m$ society2 &   
,:]eas p liv+ ) ?is pot5tially          
debilitat+ disease %\ld be provid$ ) !  
res\rces1 education1 & support ne$$ = a 
timely diagnosis1 & improv$ treatm5t    
outcomes1 s t !y c live _! lives to !   
fulle/3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t ! ,h\se (   
,repres5tatives-- 7#a7 supports !       
designation ( ,spondylo>?ritis ,aw>5ess 
,mon?2  7#b7 recognizes t adequate      
aw>5ess leads to e>li] diagnosis1 :i* c 
r$uce ! sev]ity ( ! disease1 especially 
9 ! ,african-,am]ican community2 &  7#c7
 supports national ef=ts to educate     
m$ical pr(essionals & communities ab\t  
spondylo>?ritis & ! ne$ = m rese>*      

fund+1 e>ly detection initiatives1 &    
effective treatm5ts4