Validation and incorporation of digital entheses into a preliminary GLobal OMERACT Ultrasound DActylitis Score (GLOUDAS) in psoriatic arthritis.

OBJECTIVES: The main objective was to generate a GLobal OMERACT Ultrasound DActylitis Score (GLOUDAS) in psoriatic arthritis and to test its reliability. To this end, we assessed the validity, feasibility and applicability of ultrasound assessment of finger entheses to incorporate them into the scoring system. METHODS: The study consisted of a stepwise process. First, in cadaveric specimens, we identified enthesis sites of the fingers by ultrasound and gross anatomy, and then verified presence of entheseal tissue in histological samples. We then selected the entheses to be incorporated into a dactylitis scoring system through a Delphi consensus process among international experts. Next, we established and defined the ultrasound components of dactylitis and their scoring systems using Delphi methodology. Finally, we tested the interobserver and intraobserver reliability of the consensus- based scoring systemin patients with psoriatic dactylitis. RESULTS: 32 entheses were identified in cadaveric fingers. The presence of entheseal tissues was confirmed in all cadaveric samples. Of these, following the consensus process, 12 entheses were selected for inclusion in GLOUDAS. Ultrasound components of GLOUDAS agreed on through the Delphi process were synovitis, tenosynovitis, enthesitis, subcutaneous tissue inflammation and periextensor tendon inflammation. The scoring system for each component was also agreed on. Interobserver reliability was fair to good (κ 0.39-0.71) and intraobserver reliability good to excellent (κ 0.80-0.88) for dactylitis components. Interobserver and intraobserver agreement for the total B-mode and Doppler mode scores (sum of the scores of the individual abnormalities) were excellent (interobserver intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) 0.98 for B-mode and 0.99 for Doppler mode; intraobserver ICC 0.98 for both modes). CONCLUSIONS: We have produced a consensus-driven ultrasound dactylitis scoring system that has shown acceptable interobserver reliability and excellent intraobserver reliability. Through anatomical knowledge, small entheses of the fingers were identified and histologically validated.

Neuropathic-like pain symptoms in inflammatory hand osteoarthritis lower quality of life and may not decrease under prednisolone treatment.

BACKGROUND: Pain is common in hand osteoarthritis (OA) and multiple types may occur. We investigated the prevalence, associated patient characteristics, influence on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) and response to anti-inflammatory treatment of neuropathic-like pain in inflammatory hand OA. METHODS: Data were analysed from a 6-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigating prednisolone treatment in 92 patients with painful inflammatory hand OA. Neuropathic-like pain was measured with the painDETECT questionnaire. Associations between baseline characteristics and baseline neuropathic-like pain were analysed with ordinal logistic regression, association of baseline neuropathic-like pain symptoms with baseline HR-QoL with linear regression, painDETECT and visual analogue scale (VAS) change from baseline to week 6 and interaction of painDETECT with prednisolone efficacy on VAS pain change from baseline to week 6 with generalized estimating equations (GEE). RESULTS: Of 91 patients (79% female, mean age 64) with complete painDETECT data at baseline, 53% were unlikely to have neuropathic-like pain, 31% were indeterminate and 16% were likely to have neuropathic-like pain. Neuropathic-like pain was associated with female sex, less radiographic damage and more comorbidities. Patients with neuropathic-like pain had lower HR-QoL (PCS-6.5 [95% CI -10.4 to -2.6]) than those without. Neuropathic-like pain symptoms remained under prednisolone treatment and no interaction was seen between painDETECT and prednisolone efficacy on VAS pain. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, 16% of inflammatory hand OA patients had neuropathic-like pain. They were more often female, had more comorbidities and had lower QoL than those without. Neuropathic-like pain symptoms remained despite prednisolone treatment and did not seem to affect the outcome of prednisolone treatment. SIGNIFICANCE: Pain is the dominant symptom in hand OA, with an unclear aetiology. In this study, we found that neuropathic-like pain may play a role in hand OA, that it showed associations with female sex, younger age and more comorbidities and that it lowered health-related quality of life in hand OA. Neuropathic-like pain in hand OA seems resistant to prednisolone therapy but did not seem to interfere with the treatment of inflammatory pain with prednisolone.

An ultrasound negative for subclinical synovitis in arthralgia patients: is it helpful in identifying those not developing arthritis?

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the negative predictive value (NPV) of musculoskeletal US (MSUS) in arthralgia patients at risk for developing inflammatory arthritis. METHODS: An MSUS examination of hands and feet was performed in arthralgia patients at risk for inflammatory arthritis in four independent cohorts. Patients were followed for one-year on the development of inflammatory arthritis. Subclinical synovitis was defined as greyscale ≥2 and/or power Doppler ≥1. NPVs were determined and compared with the prior risks of not developing inflammatory arthritis. Outcomes were pooled using meta-analyses and meta-regression analyses. In sensitivity analyses, MSUS imaging of tender joints only (rather than the full US protocol) was analysed and ACPA stratification applied. RESULTS: After 1 year 78, 82, 77 and 72% of patients in the four cohorts did not develop inflammatory arthritis. The NPV of a negative US was 86, 85, 82 and 90%, respectively. The meta-analysis showed a pooled non-inflammatory arthritis prevalence of 79% (95% CI 75%, 83%) and a pooled NPV of 86% (95% CI 81, 89%). Imaging tender joints only (as generally done in clinical practice) and ACPA stratification showed similar results. CONCLUSION: A negative US result in arthralgia has a high NPV for not developing inflammatory arthritis, which is mainly due to the high a priori risk of not developing inflammatory arthritis. The added value of a negative US (<10% increase) was limited.

Ultrasonography of Inflammatory and Structural Lesions in Hand Osteoarthritis: An Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Agreement and Reliability Study.

OBJECTIVE: To standardize and assess the reliability of ultrasonographic assessment of inflammatory and structural lesions in patients with hand osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: The Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Ultrasound Working Group selected synovial hypertrophy (SH), joint effusion (JE), and power Doppler (PD) signals as the main inflammatory lesions in hand OA, and suggested osteophytes in the scapho-trapezio-trapezoid (STT) and cartilage defects in the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints as novel additions to previous structural scoring systems. A complementary imaging atlas provided detailed examples of the scores. A reliability exercise of static images was performed for the inflammatory features, followed by a patient-based exercise with 6 sonographers testing inflammatory and structural features in 12 hand OA patients. We used Cohen's kappa for intrareader and Light's kappa for interreader reliability for all features except PD, in which prevalence-adjusted bias-adjusted kappa (PABAK) was applied. Percentage agreement was also assessed. RESULTS: The web-based reliability exercise demonstrated substantial intra- and interreader reliability for all inflammatory features (κ > 0.64). In the patient-based exercise, intra- and interreader reliability, respectively, varied: SH κ = 0.73 and 0.45; JE κ = 0.70 and 0.55; PD PABAK = 0.90 and 0.88; PIP joint cartilage κ = 0.56 and 0.45; and STT osteophytes κ = 0.62 and 0.36. Percentage close agreement was high for all features (>85%). CONCLUSION: With ultrasound, substantial to excellent intrareader reliability was found for inflammatory features of hand OA. Interreader reliability was moderate, but overall high close agreement between readers suggests that better reliability is achievable after further training. Assessment of osteophytes in the STT joint and cartilage in the PIP joints achieved less reliability and the latter is not endorsed.

Real-time vs static scoring in musculoskeletal ultrasonography in patients with inflammatory hand osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVES: Agreement between real-time and static ultrasonography has not been studied in musculoskeletal diseases. We studied this agreement in inflammatory hand OA. METHODS: Ultrasonography was performed blinded to clinical information of 30 joints of 75 patients with hand OA, treated with prednisolone in a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind trial. Images were scored real-time at acquisition and stored images were scored static (paired in known chronological order) for inflammatory features and osteophytes (score 0-3). Agreement between methods was studied at joint level with quadratic weighted kappa. At patient level intra-class correlations (ICC) of sum scores and change in sum-scores (delta baseline-week 6) were calculated. Responsiveness of scoring methods was analysed with generalized estimating equations (GEE) with treatment as independent and ultrasonography findings as dependent variable. RESULTS: Agreement at baseline was good to excellent at joint level (kappa 0.72-0.88) and moderate to excellent at patient level (ICC 0.58-0.91). Agreement for change in sum scores was poor to fair for synovial thickening and effusion (ICC 0.18 and 0.34, respectively), while excellent for Doppler signal (ICC 0.80). Real-time ultrasonography discriminated between prednisolone and placebo with a mean between-group difference of synovial thickening of -2.5 (95% CI: -4.7, -0.3). Static ultrasonography did not show a decrease in synovial thickening. CONCLUSION: While cross-sectional agreement between real-time and static ultrasonography is good, static ultrasonography measurement of synovial thickening did not show responsiveness to prednisone therapy while real-time ultrasonography did. Therefore, when ultrasonography is used in clinical trials, real-time dynamic scoring should remain the standard for now.

EULAR recommendations for the reporting of ultrasound studies in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs).

OBJECTIVE: To produce European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) recommendations for the reporting of ultrasound studies in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). METHODS: Based on the literature reviews and expert opinion (through Delphi surveys), a taskforce of 23 members (12 experts in ultrasound in RMDs, 9 in methodology and biostatistics together with a patient research partner and a health professional in rheumatology) developed a checklist of items to be reported in every RMD study using ultrasound. This checklist was further refined by involving a panel of 79 external experts (musculoskeletal imaging experts, methodologists, journal editors), who evaluated its comprehensibility, feasibility and comprehensiveness. Agreement on each proposed item was assessed with an 11-point Likert scale, grading from 0 (total disagreement) to 10 (full agreement). RESULTS: Two face-to-face meetings, as well as two Delphi rounds of voting, resulted in a final checklist of 23 items, including a glossary of terminology. Twenty-one of these were considered 'mandatory' items to be reported in every study (such as blinding, development of scoring systems, definition of target pathologies) and 2 'optional' to be reported only if applicable, such as possible confounding factors (ie, ambient conditions) or experience of the sonographers. CONCLUSION: An EULAR taskforce developed a checklist to ensure transparent and comprehensive reporting of aspects concerning research and procedures that need to be presented in studies using ultrasound in RMDs. This checklist, if widely adopted by authors and editors, will greatly improve the interpretability of study development and results, including the assessment of validity, generalisability and applicability.

Results of a 6-week treatment with 10 mg prednisolone in patients with hand osteoarthritis (HOPE): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Hand osteoarthritis is a prevalent joint condition that has a high burden of disease and an unmet medical need for effective therapeutic options. Since local inflammation is recognised as contributing to osteoarthritic complaints, the Hand Osteoarthritis Prednisolone Efficacy (HOPE) study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of short-term prednisolone in patients with painful hand osteoarthritis and synovial inflammation. METHODS: The HOPE study is a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. We recruited eligible adults from rheumatology outpatient clinics at two sites in the Netherlands. Patients were considered eligible if they had symptomatic hand osteoarthritis and signs of inflammation in their distal and proximal interphalangeal (DIP/PIP) joints. For inclusion, patients were required to have four or more DIP/PIP joints with osteoarthritic nodes; at least one DIP/PIP joint with soft swelling or erythema; at least one DIP/PIP joint with a positive power Doppler signal or synovial thickening of at least grade 2 on ultrasound; and finger pain of at least 30 mm on a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS) that flared up during a 48-h non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) washout (defined as worsening of finger pain by at least 20 mm on the VAS). Eligible patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive 10 mg prednisolone or placebo orally once daily for 6 weeks, followed by a 2-week tapering scheme, and a 6-week follow-up without study medication. The patients and study team were masked to treatment assignment. The primary endpoint was finger pain, assessed on a VAS, at 6 weeks in participants who had been randomly assigned to groups and attended the baseline visit. This study is registered with the Netherlands Trial Registry, number NTR5263. FINDINGS: We screened patients for enrolment between Dec 3, 2015, and May 31, 2018. Patients completed baseline visits and started treatment between Dec 14, 2015, and July 2, 2018, and the last study visit of the last patient was Oct 4, 2018. Of 149 patients assessed for eligibility, 57 (38%) patients were excluded (predominantly because they did not meet one or several inclusion criteria, most often because of an absence of synovial inflammation or of flare-ups after NSAID washout) and 92 (62%) patients were eligible for inclusion. We randomly assigned 46 (50%) patients to receive prednisolone and 46 (50%) patients to receive placebo, all of whom were included in the modified intention-to-treat analysis of the primary endpoint. 42 (91%) patients in the prednisolone group and 42 (91%) in the placebo group completed the 14-week study. The mean change between baseline and week 6 on VAS-reported finger pain was -21·5 (SD 21·7) in the prednisolone group and -5·2 (24·3) in the placebo group, with a mean between-group difference (of prednisolone vs placebo) of -16·5 (95% CI -26·1 to -6·9; p=0·0007). The number of non-serious adverse events was similar between the groups. Five serious adverse events were reported during our study: one serious adverse event in the prednisolone group (a myocardial infarction) and four serious adverse events in the placebo group (an infected traumatic leg haematoma that required surgery, bowel surgery, atrial fibrillation that required a pacemaker implantation, and symptomatic uterine myomas that required a hysterectomy). Four (4%) patients discontinued the study because of an adverse event: one (2%) patient receiving prednisolone (for a myocardial infarction) and three (7%) patients receiving placebo (for surgery of the bowel and for an infected leg haematoma and for Lyme disease arthritis of the knee). INTERPRETATION: Treatment with 10 mg prednisolone for 6 weeks is efficacious and safe for the treatment of patients with painful hand osteoarthritis and signs of inflammation. The results of our study provide clinicians with a new short-term treatment option for patients with hand osteoarthritis who report a flare-up of their disease. FUNDING: Dutch Arthritis Society.

Do musculoskeletal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging identify synovitis and tenosynovitis at the same joints and tendons? A comparative study in early inflammatory arthritis and clinically suspect arthralgia.

OBJECTIVE: Ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are recommended in the diagnostic process of rheumatoid arthritis. Research on its comparability in early disease phases is scarce. Therefore, we compared synovitis and tenosynovitis detected by US and MRI on joint/tendon level. METHODS: Eight hundred forty joints and 700 tendons of 70 consecutive patients, presenting with inflammatory arthritis or clinically suspect arthralgia, underwent US and MRI of MCP (2-5), wrist and MTP (1-5) joints at the same day. Greyscale (GS) and power Doppler (PD) synovitis were scored according to the modified Szkudlarek method (combining synovial effusion and hypertrophy) and the recently published EULAR-OMERACT method (synovial hypertrophy regardless of the presence of effusion) on static images. US-detected tenosynovitis was scored according to the OMERACT. MRI scans were scored according to the RAMRIS. Test characteristics were calculated on joint/tendon level with MRI as reference. Cut-off for US scores were ≥ 1 and ≥ 2 and for MRI ≥ 1. RESULTS: Compared to MRI, GS synovitis according to EULAR-OMERACT (cut-off ≥ 1) had a sensitivity ranging from 29 to 75% for the different joint locations; specificity ranged from 80 to 98%. For the modified Szkudlarek method, the sensitivity was 68-91% and specificity 52-71%. PD synovitis had a sensitivity of 30-54% and specificity 97-99% compared to MRI. The sensitivity to detect GS tenosynovitis was 50-78% and the specificity 80-94%. For PD tenosynovitis, the sensitivity was 19-58% and specificity 98-100%. CONCLUSION: Current data showed that US is less sensitive than MRI in the early detection of synovitis and tenosynovitis, but resulted in only few non-specific findings. The higher sensitivity of MRI is at the expense of less accessibility and higher costs.

What is the value of musculoskeletal ultrasound in patients presenting with arthralgia to predict inflammatory arthritis development? A systematic literature review.

OBJECTIVE: Musculoskeletal ultrasound (US) is frequently used in several rheumatology practices to detect subclinical inflammation in patients with joint symptoms suspected for progression to inflammatory arthritis. Evaluating the scientific basis for this specific US use, we performed this systematic literature review determining if US features of inflammation are predictive for arthritis development and which US features are of additive value to other, regularly used biomarkers. METHODS: Medical literature databases were systematically searched up to May 2017 for longitudinal studies reporting on the association between greyscale (GSUS) and Power Doppler (PDUS) abnormalities and inflammatory arthritis development in arthralgia patients. Quality of studies was assessed by two independent reviewers using a set of 18 criteria. Studies were marked high quality if scored ≥ 80.6% (which is the median score). Best-evidence synthesis was performed to determine the level of evidence (LoE). Positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR+, LR-) were determined. RESULTS: Of 3061 unique references, six fulfilled inclusion criteria (three rated high quality), of which two reported on the same cohort. Heterogeneity in arthralgia populations, various US machines and scoring systems hampered the comparability of results. LoE for GSUS as predictor was limited and moderate for PDUS; LoE for the additive value of GSUS and PDUS with other biomarkers was limited to moderate. Estimated LR+ values were mostly < 4 and LR- values > 0.5. CONCLUSIONS: Data on the value of GSUS and PDUS abnormalities for predicting inflammatory arthritis development are sparse. Although a potential benefit is not excluded, current LoE is limited to moderate. Future studies are required, preferably performed in clearly defined, well-described arthralgia populations, using standardized US acquisition protocols and scoring systems.

The OMERACT Ultrasound Group: A Report from the OMERACT 2016 Meeting and Perspectives.

OBJECTIVE: To provide an update from the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) Ultrasound Working Group on the progress for defining ultrasound (US) minimal disease activity threshold at joint level in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and for standardization of US application in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). METHODS: For minimal disease activity, healthy controls (HC) and patients with early arthritis (EA) who were naive to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs were recruited from 2 centers. US was performed of the hands and feet, and scored semiquantitatively (0-3) for synovial hypertrophy (SH) and power Doppler (PD). Synovial effusion (SE) was scored a binary variable. For JIA, a Delphi approach and subsequent validation in static images and patient-based exercises were used to developed preliminary definitions for synovitis and a scoring system. RESULTS: For minimal disease activity, 7% HC had at least 1 joint abnormality versus 30% in the EA group. In HC, the findings of SH and PD were predominantly grade 1 whereas all grades were seen in the EA cohort, but SE was rare. In JIA, synovitis can be diagnosed based on B-mode findings alone because of the presence of physiological vascularization. A semiquantitative scoring system (0-3) for synovitis for both B-mode and Doppler were developed in which the cutoff between Doppler grade 2 and grade 3 was 30%. CONCLUSION: The first step has been taken to define the threshold for minimal disease activity in RA by US and to define and develop a scoring system for synovitis in JIA. Further steps are planned for the continuous validation of US in these areas.

Brief Report: Association of Inflammation With Development of Erosions in Patients With Hand Osteoarthritis: A Prospective Ultrasonography Study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between features of ultrasound-detected inflammation and development of erosive disease in patients with hand osteoarthritis (OA) over 2.3 years of followup. METHODS: The study group comprised 56 consecutive patients with hand OA (mean age 61 years, 86% female) fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology criteria. Effusion, synovial thickening, and power Doppler signal in all interphalangeal (IP) joints were assessed with ultrasonography, using standardized methods, at baseline and followup. Radiographs were scored at both time points for osteophytes/joint space narrowing using the Osteoarthritis Research Society International method and for erosive disease (E phase [erosive] and R phase [remodeling]) using the method described by Verbruggen and Veys. Erosion development was defined as progression from N phase (normal) to E phase or R phase. Joints that were in E phase or R phase at baseline were excluded. Associations were analyzed using generalized estimating equations with adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, and baseline structural abnormalities. RESULTS: At baseline, 51 IP joints (in 18 patients) and at followup 89 IP joints (in 26 patients) had erosions; thus, erosions developed in 38 IP joints. Moderate/severe synovial thickening and a power Doppler signal at baseline were associated with erosion development (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 8.8, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 2.4-32.3 and OR 7.1, 95% CI 1.9-26.9, respectively). Persistent inflammation was particularly associated with the development of erosions. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-detected features of inflammation are associated with the development of erosions in patients with hand OA, suggesting that inflammation plays a role in the pathogenesis of hand OA and could be a therapeutic target.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Hand Osteoarthritis: Intraobserver Reliability and Criterion Validity for Clinical and Structural Characteristics.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate criterion validity and intraobserver reliability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in hand osteoarthritis (HOA). METHODS: In 16 patients with HOA (median age 57 yrs, 62% women, 13 with erosive OA), 3 Tesla MRI scans with gadolinium-chelate administration of right second to fifth distal interphalangeal/proximal interphalangeal joints were scored according to the Oslo HOA scoring method for synovial thickening, bone marrow lesions (BML), osteophytes, joint space narrowing (JSN), and erosions (grade 0-3). Ultrasound (US) was scored for synovial thickening and osteophytes, radiographs for osteophytes and JSN (Osteoarthritis Research Society International score), and anatomical phases (Verbruggen-Veys score). Pain was assessed during physical examination. Correlations of MRI with US and radiographic features were assessed with generalizability theory. With generalized estimating equations analyses, MRI features were associated with pain, adjusting for confounding. RESULTS: Forty-three percent, 27%, 77%, and 61% of joints had synovial thickening (moderate/severe), BML, osteophytes, and erosions on MRI, respectively. Intraobserver reliability, assessed in 6 patients, was good (ICC 0.77-1.00). Correlations between osteophytes, JSN, and erosions on radiographs and MRI were moderate, substantial, and fair (ICC 0.53, 0.68, and 0.32, respectively); MRI showed more lesions than radiography. Correlation between synovial thickening and osteophytes on MRI and US was moderate (ICC 0.43 and 0.49, respectively). MRI was more sensitive for synovial thickening, US for osteophytes. Pain was associated with moderate/severe synovial thickening (adjusted OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.06-5.5), collateral ligaments (4.2, 2.2-8.3), BML (3.5, 1.6-7.7), erosions (4.5, 1.7-12.2), and osteophytes (2.4, 1.1-5.2). CONCLUSION: MRI is a reliable and valid method to assess inflammatory and structural features in HOA. It gives additional information over radiographs and US.

Inflammatory ultrasound features show independent associations with progression of structural damage after over 2†years of follow-up in patients with hand osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To study the development of inflammatory features and it's relation to structural damage over a 2.3-year period in patients with hand osteoarthritis (HOA). METHODS: Synovial thickening, effusion and power Doppler signal (PDS) in distal interphalangeal (DIP), proximal interphalangeal (PIP), 1st carpometacarpal (CMC) metacarpal phalangeal (MCP) and 1st interphalangeal (IP) joints were assessed using ultrasonography in 56 consecutive HOA patients (mean age 61.2 years, 85.7% female) fulfilling American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria, at baseline and follow-up. Radiographic progression of osteophytes and joint space narrowing (JSN) was scored using the OARSI atlas. With generalised estimating equations (GEE), OR with 95% CIs were calculated for the associations between inflammatory ultrasound features and radiographic progression taking in account patient effect, age, gender, Body Mass Index, baseline osteophytes and JSN scores, and other inflammatory ultrasound features. RESULTS: Of 1680 joints, 8.4%, 8.7%, and 19.8% had synovial thickening, PDS or effusion at baseline, respectively. 7.1% and 5.7% of joints had progression of osteophytes and JSN, respectively. Independent associations were found between synovial thickening, effusion and PDS (grade 2-3 vs 0), and progression of osteophytes (OR (95% CI): 2.6 (1.02 to 6.5), 3.5 (1.7 to 7.4) and 5.7 (1.5 to 21.1)) and of JSN (OR (95% CI): 3.4 (1.3 to 8.4), 3.3 (1.5 to 7.6) and 3.1 (1.01 to 9.2)). Persistent inflammatory features at baseline and follow-up showed stronger associations with radiographic progression than fluctuating inflammatory features in comparison with no inflammatory features. CONCLUSIONS: Inflammatory features, especially when persistently present, are independently associated with radiological progression in HOA after 2.3 years, indicating a role of inflammation in the aetiology of structural damage in HOA.

In erosive hand osteoarthritis more inflammatory signs on ultrasound are found than in the rest of hand osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare inflammation as assessed by ultrasound between patients with the subset erosive hand osteoarthritis (EOA) versus non-EOA. METHODS: Consecutive hand osteoarthritis (HOA) patients (fulfilling ACR criteria) were included. Eighteen interphalangeal joints were scored on radiographs using the Verbruggen-Veys anatomical phase score; E and R phases were defined as erosive. Patients were assigned to EOA when at least one joint was erosive. Effusion, synovial thickening and power Doppler signal (PDS) were scored with ultrasound on a 4-point scale. Generalised estimated equation analyses were used to compare ultrasound features between EOA and HOA, and to associate ultrasound features with.anatomical phases; OR with 95% CI were calculated with adjustments for patient effects and confounders. RESULTS: Of 55 HOA patients (mean age 61 years, 86% women) 51% had EOA. In 94 erosive joints, synovial thickening, effusion and PDS were found in 13%, 50% and 15%, respectively; in 896 non-erosive joints in 10%, 26% and 8%, respectively. In summated scores of PDS, effusion was higher in EOA than in non-EOA. Effusion and synovial thickening were more frequent in S, J, E and R phases compared to N phase. PDS was only associated with E phase (OR 5.3, 95% CI 1.3 to 20.5) not with other phases. Non-erosive joints in EOA demonstrated more PDS (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.6 to 6.4) and effusion (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.2 to 3.8) in comparison to joints in non-EOA. CONCLUSIONS: Inflammatory signs are more frequent in EOA than in non-EOA, not only in erosive joints but also in non-erosive joints, suggesting an underlying systemic cause for erosive evolution.

Osteophytes and joint space narrowing are independently associated with pain in finger joints in hand osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To study the associations between structural abnormalities on ultrasound (US) or conventional x-rays (CR) and pain in hand osteoarthritis (HOA). METHODS: In 55 consecutive patients with HOA (mean age 61 years, 86% women) fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology criteria, pain in 30 separate hand joints was assessed upon palpation; osteophytes were assessed by US and CR and joint space narrowing (JSN) by CR. Associations between structural abnormalities and pain per joint were analysed using generalised estimated equations to account for patient effects and adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, US inflammatory features and other remaining structural abnormalities. RESULTS: In 1649 joints, 69% and 46% had osteophytes on US and CR, respectively and 47% had JSN. Osteophytes and JSN showed independent associations with pain per joint adjusted: OR for osteophytes: 4.8 (95% CI 3.1 to 7.5) for US and 4.1 (95% CI 2.4 to 7.1) for CR; for JSN: 4.2 (95% CI 2.0 to 9.0). CONCLUSIONS: Osteophytes and JSN are independently associated with pain in individual HOA joints, taking into account patient effects.

Do knee abnormalities visualised on MRI explain knee pain in knee osteoarthritis? A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the association between MRI findings (cartilage defects, bone marrow lesions (BML), osteophytes, meniscal lesion, effusion/synovitis, ligamentous abnormalities, subchondral cysts and bone attrition) and pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) in order to establish the relevance of such findings when assessing an individual patient. METHODS: The Medline, Web of Science, Embase and Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) databases up to March 2010 were searched without language restriction to find publications with data on the association between MRI findings of knee OA (exposure of interest) and knee pain (outcome). The quality of included papers was scored using a predefined criteria set. The levels of evidence were determined qualitatively using best evidence synthesis (based on guidelines on systematic review from the Cochrane Collaboration Back Review Group). Five levels of evidence were used: strong, moderate, limited, conflicting and no evidence. RESULTS: A total of 22 papers were included; 5 had longitudinal and 17 cross-sectional data. In all, 13 reported a single MRI finding and 9 multiple MRI findings. Moderate levels of evidence were found for BML and effusion/synovitis. The OR for BML ranged from 2.0 (no CI was given) to 5.0 (2.4 to 10.5). The OR of having pain when effusion/synovitis was present ranged between 3.2 (1.04 to 5.3) and 10.0 (1.1 to 149). The level of evidences between other MRI findings and pain were limited or conflicting. CONCLUSIONS: Knee pain in OA is associated with BML and effusion/synovitis suggesting that these features may indicate the origin of pain in knee OA. However, due to the moderate level of evidence these features need to be explored further.

Pain in hand osteoarthritis is associated with inflammation: the value of ultrasound.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association of ultrasound (US) features-grey scale (GS) synovitis, synovial thickening, effusion and power Doppler signal (PDS)-with symptoms in hand osteoarthritis (HOA). METHODS: Fifty-five consecutive patients (mean age 62 years, 87% women) with HOA, fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology criteria, were assessed for pain upon palpation and filled in Australian/Canadian Osteoarthritis Index (AUSCAN) scores, visual analogue scale pain and Short Form-36 (SF-36). US was performed in all metacarpophalangeal, proximal interphalangeal, distal interphalangeal, first interphalangeal and first carpometacarpal joints, and features were semiquantitatively scored (0-3). Generalised estimating equations were used to calculate OR (95% CI) for the association between US features and pain per joint adjusted for relevant confounders. The association between US features summated scores and self-reported outcomes was studied by linear regression analysis. RESULTS: GS synovitis, effusion, synovial thickening and PDS were shown in 96%, 91%, 73% and 86% of patients, respectively. US features were dose-dependently associated with pain upon palpation (OR 4.5 (95% CI 2.2 to 9.0), 4.4 (2.0 to 9.4), 4.9 (2.2 to 11.0) and 4.1 (2.2 to 7.9)). GS synovitis was associated with AUSCAN pain, stiffness and SF-36, and effusion with AUSCAN pain. CONCLUSIONS: GS synovitis, effusion, synovial thickening and PDS are associated with pain in HOA, suggesting a role for inflammation. Further follow-up studies are warranted.