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Professor Alan Silman, Medical Director of Arthritis Research UK , which funded the preliminary work for the genetics research said the study was important, but added that it needed to be followed up before its significance could be measured clinically. "We're supporting further intensive work needed to investigate whether these genetic targets could offer scope for novel treatment approaches," he said.

Debbie Cook, Director of The National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society (UK) added: "We are delighted with the results of these genetic studies in ankylosing spondylitis which will help us to understand the causes of the disease better, and hopefully to develop new ideas about its treatment. Our members have been heavily involved in these studies with scientists at the University of Oxford over the past 10 years and it is good to see the progress that has been made. It has long been recognised that there is a genetic element to the condition and that it has a tendency to run in families. The identification of 14 genes involved in this process clearly helps to understand the reasons for this.

"Over the past ten years our members have been donating blood or saliva samples so that their DNA can be analysed. It is good to see that this truly global collaboration, involving teams in Australia and USA as well as the UK has been so worthwhile. We look forward to further developments in the future towards preventing or curing this persistent and painful disease that affects about 200,000 people in the UK alone gucci outlet".