Bone erosions by MRI in first-degree relatives of patients with RA: an exploratory study.

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVES: First-degree relatives (FDR) of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at increased risk of RA diagnosis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been proposed as a useful tool to detect subclinical synovitis and bone abnormalities as predictors of progression to RA. The presence of grade ≥ 2 bone erosions in RA MRI scoring system (RAMRIS) was reported to be RA-specific. We aim to describe the prevalence and characteristics of MRI findings in RA patients and FDR. METHODS: A cross-sectional and exploratory study of 60 individuals was performed in 38 RA patients and 22 FDR with hand arthralgia without clinical arthritis and positive rheumatoid factor or anticitrullinated protein antibodies. All patients underwent an MRI and were evaluated for synovitis, bone erosion, and bone marrow edema. We evaluated second to fifth metacarpophalangeal joints of the dominant hand according to RAMRIS. RESULTS: Among the total population, eighteen (30%) subjects had grade ≥ 2 bone erosions, and 42 (70%) had at least one erosion of any grade. In patients with grade ≥ 2 bone erosions, 12 (31.6%) were from RA patients and 6 (27.2%) from FDR (p = 0.72). In patients with erosions of any grade, 26 (68.4%) were from RA patients and 15 (68.2%) were from FDR (p = 0.98). CONCLUSION: A high prevalence of bone erosions was found in RA patients' FDR who had symptoms without clinical arthritis and positive serology. MRI might be helpful in this population for an early detection of RA-specific erosions. The prognosis and the treatment decisions in these subjects should be elucidated. KEY POINTS: • First-degree relatives (FDR) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with positive serology and joint symptoms constitute a select subpopulation of individuals with an increased risk of developing RA. • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of FDR shows a high prevalence of bone erosions of any grade, grade ≥ 2 erosions, and synovitis. • MRI might be helpful in FDR of RA patients to screen for the presence of RA-specific erosions or clinically undetectable synovitis.

The very early inflammatory triquetral lesion by MRI - is this the first sign in Rheumatoid Arthritis?

INTRODUCTION/AIM: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) an autoimmune, chronic, and disabling disease if untreated, affects wrist joints, with a diagnostic delay of up to 2 years. Triquetral bone allows rotational movement that pivots over the rest wrist bones, and maintains physiological loads during mobility. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is the most sensitive (96%) method for diagnosis, evidencing lesions as early as in the initial RA stages. Our aim was to determine the most frequently affected structures in the hand-wrist joint by MRI using the OMERACT-RAMRIS Score (2003) in three different RA stages, including clinically suspicious arthralgia (CSA) that haven't reported before. METHODS: We performed an exploratory, transverse, observational, descriptive study in 60 patients enrolled and classified by rheumatologists as: CSA, early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA), and established RA, prior to performing a dominant hand-wrist MRI for evaluation and descriptive analysis by an expert radiologist. RESULTS: Female predominance 83% (50), with a mean age 42+13.5 years; A total of 1,731 hand-wrist bone and joint sites were evaluated using EULAR-OMERACT Atlas (2005), identifying 56% (964 sites) with typical RA lesions: synovitis, erosions, and bone marrow edema (BME or osteitis); synovitis was the most frequent with 46% (445 site-lesion), and triquetral synovitis the most frequent each clinical group: CSA 87% (20/23), ERA 91% (20/22), and RA 93% (14/15). CONCLUSION: Synovitis and triquetral synovitis were the most prevalent lesion in three-studied phases. This could suggest the triquetrum as the first morphological site to be affected by RA; so it's assessment should be considered in the RA evaluation when it´s clinically suspected.

Are RA patients from a non-endemic HCV population screened for HCV? A cross-sectional analysis of three different settings.

INTRODUCTION: In Mexico, other risk factors are associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV): prior heroin users, living alone, widower, and northern region residence. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients are considered immunosuppressed and HCV testing is recommended before treatment. The aim of the study was to describe the characteristics of HCV testing in RA patients in three different medical care settings in a non-endemic area. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was performed using medical records from 960 RA patients describing the indications for HCV testing. RESULTS: The test was performed in 28.6% and the HCV overall frequency was 0.36%. Population characteristics were not associated with an increased risk of HCV infection; therefore, anti-HCV positivity was low. The main reason for testing was before starting biological agents. CONCLUSION: Due to the low pre-test probability, testing for HCV infection should be personalized; i.e., according to disease prevalence in a particular geographical location and the individual risk factors.