How common is ankylosing spondylitis?
Ankylosing spondylitis can develop at any time from the teenage years onwards. It is three times more common in men than in women. The condition usually occurs between 15 and 35 years of age, and rarely starts in old age. Estimates of different European populations suggest that ankylosing spondylitis may affect between 2-5 adults in every 1,000. In the UK, around 200,000 people have been diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis.
