Pune: Anuj (name changed) was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis while pursuing his graduation at one of the prestigious IITs in India. He completed MTech without undergoing treatment because of fear of potential adverse side-effects of biological drugs , thinking it would compromise his immunity. Unfortunately, the disease flared up during his PhD, forcing him to abandon studies.
Today, Aniket, at 30, teaches undergraduate entrance courses to Standard XII students. Ankylosing spondylitis (AS), also known as axial spondyloarthritis, is an inflammatory auto-immune disease. Over time, it can cause some of the bones in the spine, called vertebrae, to fuse.
This fusing makes the spine less flexible and can result in a hunched posture. If ribs are affected, it can be difficult to breathe deeply. “Myths about drug side-effects exist and thrive even in the best of minds.
If Aniket had started taking biologics when he was first diagnosed, we wouldn't have lost his potential as an IIT alumnus. Now, although Anuj is willing to take the drugs, the prime period of his career is lost,” said country’s senior rheumatologist Dr Syamasis Bandyopadhyay. Dr Bandyopadhyay, along with other senior doctors from Kolkata-based Apollo Hospitals, have started to visit Pune to offer their expertise.
The prevalence of AS is around 0.1 to 1.4 % in India.
It is estimated that there are about 40 to 50 lakh of AS patients in India but the exact number remains unknown because there is no registry. T.