CT-based comprehensive scoring system for assessing hip arthropathy in ankylosing spondylitis: feasibility study with clinical correlation.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a CT-based scoring system for assessment of hip arthropathy in AS. METHODS: All AS patients were prospectively recruited, consented, and underwent whole-body stereoradiographs and pelvis CT, which were assessed by two independent radiologists. Stereoradiographs were assessed according to Kellgreen-Lawrence and BASRI-h. For the Hip arthropathy CT score in AS (HACTSAS), joints were divided into 7 segments and scored for joint space, osteophytes, subchondral cysts/erosions. Patients were clinically assessed for range of motion (ROM), pain, and clinical scores (BASMI, BASFI, ASQol, BASDAI and ASDAS). Radiological scores correlations with clinical parameters were compared. ROM sensitivity and specificity for hip arthropathy (BASRI-h ≥ 2) were calculated. RESULTS: Sample included 112 patients, with 36/112 females and 76/112 males. Average age was 51.0 ± 11.2 years and mean duration of AS was 20.9 ± 9.6 years. ICC for HACTSAS, Kellgreen-Lawrence and BASRI-h were 0.89, 0.89 and 0.82 respectively. HACTSAS showed moderate absolute correlation with ROM (ρ=-0.41) and BASMI (ρ = 0.45), and weak with pain (ρ = 0.18) and BASFI (ρ = 0.25). BASRI-h and Kellgreen-Lawrence exhibited moderate correlation with ROM (ρ=-0.44 and ρ=-0.40, respectively), weak with pain (ρ=-.27and ρ=-0.23, respectively) and BASFI (ρ=-0.16 and ρ=-0.18, respectively), but only weak with BASMI (ρ=-0.34 and ρ=-0.36, respectively). Internal rotation <15°, abduction <31°, and intermalleolar distance <75cm were, respectively, 73%, 70% and 73% sensitivity and 81%, 65% and 68% specific for hip arthropathy. CONCLUSION: HACTSAS exhibited higher correlation with BASMI and BASFI when compared with BASRI-h, but less correlation with pain and ROM. Internal rotation was the best clinical discriminator for hip arthropathy.

Relationship between spinal structural damage and sagittal balance in axial spondyloarthritis: Is the thoracic spine the starting point?

OBJECTIVES: To assess the relationship between spinal structural damage, sagittal balance parameters and spine curvatures in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, the pelvic and sagittal balance parameters were obtained through EOS® (Biospace, Paris, France). Patients were divided into three groups according to the modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spinal Score (mSASSS) tertiles (G1 ≤6, n = 36; G2: 6.1-31, n = 36; G3 >31, n = 35) and pelvic and sagittal parameters were compared across them. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to analyze the impact of spinal structural damage and of other factors on sagittal vertical axis (SVA), an important sagittal balance parameter. RESULTS: A total of 107 patients was included. G2 and 3 exhibited higher mean values of thoracic kyphosis T1-T12 when compared to G1 (10.5°(12.3) vs. 22.3°(17.3) vs. 35.2°(14.6), p < 0.001), and G3 demonstrated lumbar L1-S1 straightening compared to the other groups (55.7°(9) and 50.7°(19.8), G1 and G2, respectively, vs. 35.7°(13.2), p < 0.001). Mean SVA values showed an increasing gradient from G1 to G3 (21.6(25.1) vs. 41(44.3) vs. 84.3(47.2)mm, p < 0.001). In the multivariable regression, a one-unit increase in total mSASSS was associated with an average 0.8 mm higher SVA. CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed that more spinal structural damage is associated with a higher SVA, reflecting poorer sagittal balance. Patients with increasing spinal damage have an important increase in thoracic kyphosis suggesting that postural modifications in patients with axSpA might have their origin in the thoracic spine.

Estudo comparativo da deglutição com nasofibrolaringoscopia e videodeglutograma em pacientes com acidente vascular cerebral / Comparison of functional endoscopic swallow study (FESS) vs. videofluoroscopy (VF) in patients with stroke

Os distúrbios da deglutiçäo säo bastante freqüentes nos pacientes neurológicos e naqueles com doenças ou seqüelas de cirurgia de cabeça e pescoço, sendo causa de importante morbidade e mortalidade. Apesar do videodeglutograma (VD) ser considerado o exame de escolha para a avaliaçäo dos distúrbios da deglutiçäo, este exame apresenta limitaçöes em algumas situaçöes clínicas, além de expor o doente à radiaçäo e ao risco de aspiraçäo do contraste. Em anos recentes, têm sido também utilizadas fibras ópticas flexíveis para avaliar os pacientes com disfagia e outras queixas relacionadas à deglutiçäo. OBJETIVO: Análise comparativa entre os dados obtidos pela NFL e VD em relaçäo a parâmetros estudados por ambos métodos. FORMA DE ESTUDO: Caso controle. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Foram avaliados prospectivamente 12 pacientes com seqüela de acidente vascular cerebral isquêmico, no período de janeiro a maio de 2002, por meio do estudo dinâmico da deglutiçäo com nasofibrolaringoscopia (NFL) e VD, sendo os resultados comparados estatisticamente. RESULTADOS: Enquanto o VD permite a análise da fase preparatória oral e oral da deglutiçäo e o início da fase faríngea, a NFL permite estudo da sensibilidade e mobilidade faringo-laríngea, além da visualizaçäo direta do alimento. Através do teste estatístico McNemar, nenhum dos parâmetros analisados apresentou divergência estatisticamente significante (p<0,05) quando comparados os resultados na NFL e VD. CONCLUSÖES: A análise comparativa entre os dados obtidos pelo NFL e VD em relaçäo a parâmetros avaliados por ambos métodos, em pacientes com disfagia, mostraram näo haver diferenças significativas entre eles