Musculoskeletal ultrasound training and competency assessment program for rheumatology fellows.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to establish standards for musculoskeletal ultrasound competency through knowledge and skills testing using criterion-referenced methods. METHODS: Two groups of rheumatology fellows trained in musculoskeletal ultrasound through a standardized curriculum, which required submission of ultrasound studies for review over 8 months. Both groups then completed written and practical examinations in musculoskeletal ultrasound. Instructors, advanced users, and intermediate users of musculoskeletal ultrasound served as comparison groups. A passing score (competency) was established for the written examination by the Angoff procedure and for the practical examination by the borderline method. RESULTS: Thirty-eight fellows (19 in each group) took the final examination. Five fellows failed the written examination, and 1 failed the practical examination, whereas none of the advanced users failed. Written examination scores did not differ between the two fellow groups (74% versus 70%; P > .05), were reliable, and were able to discriminate between the intermediate and advanced groups. Practical and written examination results correlated in both groups (first group, r = 0.70; P = .0008; second group, r = 0.59; P = .009). CONCLUSIONS: Criterion-referenced methods were used for the first time to determine fellow musculoskeletal ultrasound competency. The examination used to determine competency was reproducible, was reliable, and could differentiate musculoskeletal ultrasound users with different levels of experience. Most rheumatology fellows completing our program passed the written and practical examinations, suggesting achievement of basic musculoskeletal ultrasound competency.

Similar Improvements in Patient-Reported Outcomes Among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Treated with Two Different Doses of Methotrexate in Combination with Adalimumab: Results From the MUSICA Trial.

INTRODUCTION: In patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), combination treatment with methotrexate (MTX) and adalimumab is more effective than MTX monotherapy. From the patients' perspective, the impact of reduced MTX doses upon initiating adalimumab is not known. The objective was to evaluate the effects of low and high MTX doses in combination with adalimumab initiation on patient-reported outcomes (PROs), in MTX-inadequate responders (MTX-IR) with moderate-to-severe RA. METHODS: MUSICA was a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of 7.5 or 20 mg/week MTX, in combination with adalimumab for 24 weeks in MTX-IR RA patients receiving prior MTX ≥ 15 mg/week for ≥ 12 weeks. PROs were recorded at each visit, including physical function, health-related quality-of-life, work productivity, quality-of-sleep, satisfaction with treatment medication, sexual impairment due to RA, patient global assessment of disease activity (PGA), and patient pain. Last observation carried forward was used to account for missing values. RESULTS: At baseline, patients in both MTX dosage groups had similar demographics, disease characteristics, and PRO scores. Overall, initiation of adalimumab led to significant improvements from baseline in the PROs assessed for both MTX dosage groups. Improvements in presenteeism from baseline were strongly correlated with corresponding improvements in SF-36 (vitality), pain, and physical function. Physical and mental well-being had a good correlation with improvement in sleep. Overall, improvements in disease activity from baseline were correlated with improvements in several PROs. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of adalimumab to MTX in MTX-IR patients with moderate-to-severe RA led to improvements in physical function, quality-of-life, work productivity, quality of sleep, satisfaction with treatment medication, and sexual impairment due to RA, regardless of the concomitant MTX dosage. FUNDING: AbbVie. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov identifier, NCT01185288.

Changes in Ultrasonographic Vascularity Upon Initiation of Adalimumab Combination Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients With an Inadequate Response to Methotrexate.

OBJECTIVE: To assess joint disease activity by ultrasound (US) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) initiating treatment with adalimumab (ADA) plus methotrexate (MTX). METHODS: Data for this post hoc analysis originated from the MUSICA trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01185288), which evaluated the efficacy of initiating ADA (40 mg every other week) plus 7.5 or 20 mg/week MTX in 309 patients with RA with an inadequate response to MTX. Synovial vascularization over 24 weeks was assessed bilaterally at metacarpophalangeal joint 2 (MCP2), MCP3, MCP5, metatarsophalangeal joint 5, and the wrists by power Doppler US (PDUS). A semiquantitative 4-grade scale was used. Disease activity was assessed using the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints using the C-reactive protein level (DAS28-CRP) and Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI). The correlation between continuous variables was assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. RESULTS: After 24 weeks of treatment with ADA plus MTX, rapid improvements in the mean synovial vascularity score were observed; the greatest improvements were in MCP2 (-0.5), MCP3 (-0.4), and the wrist (-0.4). At week 24, patients with the lowest DAS28-CRP (<2.6) had the lowest mean 5-joint and 3-joint composite synovial vascularity scores. The 5-joint and 3-joint scores were strongly correlated (ρ > 0.9). Synovial vascularity scores correlated poorly with DAS28, swollen joint count in 66 joints (SJC66), SJC28, tender joint count in 68 joints (TJC68), TJC28, Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI), SDAI, physician's global assessment, patient's global assessment of pain, and disease duration (ρ < 0.2). Thirty-two (70%) of 46 patients with a DAS28-CRP of <2.6, and 11 (58%) of 19 patients with an SDAI indicating remission had at least 1 joint with a synovial vascularity score of ≥1. CONCLUSION: PDUS detects changes in synovial vascularity in RA patients treated with ADA plus MTX, and residual synovial vascularity in patients in whom clinical disease control has been achieved.

Musculoskeletal ultrasound objective structured clinical examination: an assessment of the test.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the reliability and validity of an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) for musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS). METHODS: A 9-station OSCE was administered to 35 rheumatology fellows trained in MSUS and to 3 expert faculty (controls). Participants were unaware of joint health (5 diseased/4 healthy). Faculty assessors (n = 9) graded image quality with predefined checklists and a 0-5 global rating, blinded to who performed the study. Interrater reliability, correlation between a written multiple choice question examination (MCQ) and OSCE performance, and comparison of fellow OSCE results with those of the faculty were measured to determine OSCE reliability, concurrent validity, and construct validity. RESULTS: Assessors' interrater reliability was good (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] 0.7). Score reliability was good in the normal wrist and ankle stations (ICC 0.7) and moderate in the abnormal wrist and ankle stations (ICC 0.4). MCQ grades significantly correlated with OSCE grades (r = 0.52, P < 0.01). The fellows in the bottom quartile of the MCQ scored 3.07 on the OSCE, significantly worse than the top quartile fellows (3.32) and the faculty (3.29; P < 0.01). Scores also significantly discriminated bottom quartile fellows from faculty in the normal wrist and ankle stations (3.38 versus 3.78; P < 0.01), but not in the abnormal stations (3.37 versus 3.49; P = 0.08). CONCLUSION: MSUS OSCE is a reliable and valid method for evaluation of MSUS skill. Normal joint assessment stations are more reliable than abnormal joint assessment stations and better discriminate poorly performing fellows from faculty. Therefore, MSUS OSCE with normal joints can be used for the assessment of MSUS skill competency.

Imaging appearances in gout.

Gout is an ancient disease. Last decade has brought about significant advancement in imaging technology and real scientific growth in the understanding of the pathophysiology of gout, leading to the availability of multiple effective noninvasive diagnostic imaging options for gout and treatment options fighting inflammation and controlling urate levels. Despite this, gout is still being sub-optimally treated, often by nonspecialists. Increased awareness of optimal treatment options and an increasing role of ultrasound and dual energy computed tomography (DECT) in the diagnosis and management of gout are expected to transform the management of gout and limit its morbidity. DECT gives an accurate assessment of the distribution of the deposited monosodium urate (MSU) crystals in gout and quantifies them. The presence of a combination of the ultrasound findings of an effusion, tophus, erosion and the double contour sign in conjunction with clinical presentation may be able to obviate the need for intervention and joint aspiration in a certain case population for the diagnosis of gout. The purpose of this paper is to review imaging appearances of gout and its clinical applications.

Self-directed learning of basic musculoskeletal ultrasound among rheumatologists in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: Because musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) is highly user dependent, we aimed to establish whether non-mentored learning of MSUS is sufficient to achieve the same level of diagnostic accuracy and scanning reliability as has been achieved by rheumatologists recognized as international experts in MSUS. METHODS: A group of 8 rheumatologists with more experience in MSUS and 8 rheumatologists with less experience in MSUS participated in an MSUS exercise to assess patients with musculoskeletal abnormalities commonly seen in a rheumatology practice. Patients' established diagnoses were obtained from chart review (gout, osteoarthritis, rotator cuff syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and seronegative arthritis). Two examining groups were formed, each composed of 4 less experienced and 4 more experienced examiners. Each group scanned 1 predefined body region (hand, wrist, elbow, shoulder, knee, or ankle) in each of 8 patients, blinded to medical history and physical examination. Structural abnormalities were noted with dichotomous answers, and an open-ended answer was used for the final diagnosis. RESULTS: Less experienced and more experienced examiners achieved the same diagnostic accuracy (US-established diagnosis versus chart review diagnosis). The interrater reliability for tissue pathology was slightly higher for more experienced versus less experienced examiners (kappa = 0.43 versus kappa = 0.34; P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Non-mentored training in MSUS can lead to the achievement of diagnostic accuracy in MSUS comparable to that achieved by highly experienced international experts. Reliability may increase slightly with additional experience. Further study is needed to determine the minimal training requirement to achieve proficiency in MSUS.