Ankylosing spondylitis
Meaning of ankylosing spondylitis: For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, ankylosing spondylitis: (a) means a chronic, progressive, systemic inflammatory disease principally involving the sacroiliac joints and the axial skeleton; and (b) excludes psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis and fibromyalgia.
Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) — Statement of Principles No. 39 of 2021
At least one of the following factors must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting ankylosing spondylitis or death from ankylosing spondylitis with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:
- (1)having periodontitis for at least the three months before the clinical onset of ankylosing spondylitis;
- (2)having periodontitis for at least the three months before the clinical worsening of ankylosing spondylitis;
- (3)for current smokers only, having smoked at least one pack-year of tobacco products before the clinical worsening of ankylosing spondylitis;
Note: pack-year is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
- (4)being obese for at least five years within the ten years before the clinical worsening of ankylosing spondylitis;
Note: being obese is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
- (5)inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for ankylosing spondylitis;
Note: inability to obtain appropriate clinical management includes inability to undertake prescribed ankylosing spondylitis exercises.
Note: ankylosing spondylitis exercises is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsections 9(2) to 9(5) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.
Balance of Probabilities (BoP) — Statement of Principles No. 40 of 2021
2 factors
At least one of the following factors must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, ankylosing spondylitis or death from ankylosing spondylitis is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:
- (1)for current smokers only, having smoked at least one pack-year of tobacco products before the clinical worsening of ankylosing spondylitis;
Note: pack-year is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
- (2)inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for ankylosing spondylitis;
Note: inability to obtain appropriate clinical management includes inability to undertake prescribed ankylosing spondylitis exercises.
Note: ankylosing spondylitis exercises is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsections 9(1) to 9(2) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.
