Validity of 7-Joint Versus Simplified 12-Joint Ultrasonography Scoring Systems in Assessment of Rheumatoid Arthritis Activity.

INTRODUCTION: Musculoskeletal ultrasonography (US) is an objective tool for the evaluation of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. There is no consensus on the exact number of joints that should be examined. Examination of reduced joint count is more practical than the comprehensive one. OBJECTIVES: This is a cross-sectional study investigated the validity of a 7-joint US score (US7) in assessment of joint inflammation in RA patients compared with a simplified 12-joint US score (US12) and correlated both to composite disease activity indices. METHODS: The activity status of 50 RA patients was assessed clinically and ultrasonographically. The disease activity was calculated using 3 composite indices. Ultrasonography was performed by 1 blinded rheumatologist, using power Doppler (PD) and gray-scale (GS) US examination. The US7 and simplified US12 were performed as originally described. However, the GS synovitis and PD synovitis of US12 were computed in 2 separate scores instead of 1. Two sum US7 scores were added, sum (GS) US7 and sum (PD) US7 after summating synovitis and tenosynovitis scores. Ultrasonography interobserver/intraobserver reliability was evaluated on 40 stored images. RESULTS: Correlation coefficient between the different ultrasonographic scores showed no difference. The GS scores showed no correlation with disease activity parameters; however, the PD scores did. The sum (PD) US7 was the only score that showed significant correlation with the 3 different composite disease indices. CONCLUSIONS: All studied US scores proved valid in assessment of disease activity status in RA. This is in favor of using the less-time-consuming US7 scores. The strongest correlation found with sum (PD) US7 confirmed the importance of incorporating the tendon in the disease activity assessment.

Using intra-articular allogenic lyophilized growth factors in primary knee osteoarthritis: a randomized pilot study.

Objective: Investigating the safety in addition to clinical and structural efficacy of allogenic lyophilized growth factors (L-GFs) in patients with symptomatic primary knee osteoarthritis. Design: A prospective, open-label pilot study. A total of 31-patients randomized into non-intervention and intervention groups. Materials & methods: The intervention group received two intra-articular doses at baseline and after 2-months. Post-injection complications were documented, and the efficacy was assessed by Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scores and ultrasonography. Results: One dropout from the intervention group. The percentage of improvement of mean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index-scores and ultrasonography-detected effusion were statistically significant in the intervention group compared with the non-intervention. A brief, mild, post-injection pain was reported by all intervention group. Conclusion: This study provides the safety of intra-articular injection of allogenic L-GFs in knee osteoarthritis. The conclusion of efficacy was limited by small sample size and lack of control injection. Clinical trial registration: NCT04331327 (ClinicalTrials.gov, retrospectively registered).

Lay abstract Knee osteoarthritis affects many people after middle age. It causes progressive joint damage and may lead to disability. To date, there is no medical treatment that can stop disease progression and restore knee function. In this study, we tested a novel treatment for knee osteoarthritis. Patients who received knee injection with growth factors showed better results in joint pain and swelling. Growth factors were isolated from donated platelets and were assured that they were free of pathogens.