Update on the genetics of spondyloarthritis – ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis

Spondyloarthritis refers to a group of inflammatory rheumatic diseases that share common clinical and genetic characteristics. Due to the rapid advances in technology and computational genetics, there is now an increasing list of well-validated genes in spondyloarthritis. The newest genetic associations are of modest magnitude and have been identified as a result of analysing thousands of samples, using genome-wide association scans or targeted candidate-gene association studies. In this article, we will highlight the genes associated with spondyloarthritis, with an emphasis on the recent candidate genes that have been identified in ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis. If applicable, we will also discuss their potential relevance to the clinical rheumatologist.