[Surveys of the treatment and socio-professional future of patients with spondylarthritis. Our impressions in 1986].

After a brief historical reminder, the authors emphasize the difficulties of such investigations; difficulties of realization, analysis and synthesis since the results depend on ethnic and socio-cultural origins, socio-professional factors, primary or secondary forms or the length of evolution of the disease. From their experience, the authors draw a certain number of figures which they compare to those from other authors, especially concerning factors which aggravate the functional prognosis of the disease, or condition its complications. As for the therapy, considering the divergent opinions expressed about the results obtained with modern treatments, and used for thirty years, the authors have initiated an opinion survey among the members of the FSR (French Society of Rheumatology). The analysis of personal cases, the synthesis of various publications, the results of their survey, lead them to conclude that the problem of the treatment of ankylosing spondylo-arthritis and its professional consequences, is currently still more medico-social than scientific. The picture of rheumatoid pelvispondylitis seems less severe today than before, but it is necessary to have a longer follow-up to evaluate it statistically.