A Scharmga1,2,3, P Geusens1,3,4, M Peters1,2,3, J P van den Bergh1,2,4,5, D Loeffen6, T Schoonbrood1, B van Rietbergen7,8, D Vosse1, R Weijers6, A van Tubergen1,3. 1. a Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology , Maastricht University Medical Center , Maastricht , The Netherlands. 2. b NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism , Maastricht University , Maastricht , The Netherlands. 3. c CAPHRI Care and Public Health Research Institute , Maastricht University , Maastricht , The Netherlands. 4. d Department of Internal Medicine , Viecuri Medical Center , Venlo , The Netherlands. 5. e Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences , Hasselt University , Hasselt , Belgium. 6. f Department of Radiology , Maastricht University Medical Center , Maastricht , The Netherlands. 7. g Department of Biomedical Engineering , Eindhoven University of Technology , Eindhoven , The Netherlands. 8. h Department of Orthopaedic Surgery , Maastricht University Medical Center , Maastricht , The Netherlands.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To study the relationship between structural damage and inflammatory features on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or radiography and other risk factors [anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) and/or rheumatoid factor (RF) seropositivity, hand dominance, disease duration] and the presence or number of cortical interruptions in finger joints on high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT). METHOD: Finger joints of 38 healthy subjects and 39 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were examined through radiographs, MRI, and HR-pQCT. Radiographs were scored according to the Sharp/van der Heijde (SvH) method; MRI for the presence of cortical interruptions, bone marrow oedema (BMO), and synovitis; and HR-pQCT images for cortical interruptions. Descriptive statistics were calculated and associations examined using generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: Cortical interruptions were found in healthy subjects and patients with RA on HR-pQCT (mean ± sd 0.33 ± 0.63 vs 0.38 ± 0.64 per joint quadrant, respectively, p < 0.01). Structural damage on MRI (cortical interruptions) or radiographs (SvH ≥ 1) was associated with the presence of cortical interruptions on HR-pQCT [odds ratio (OR) 12.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 7.5-21.4, p < 0.01 and OR 4.8, 95% CI 1.9-11.7, respectively, p < 0.01]. The presence of BMO or synovitis was associated with more cortical interruptions on HR-pQCT (β 0.47, 95% CI 0.4-0.6, p < 0.01 and β 1.9, 95% CI 0.6-3.1, p < 0.01). In patients with RA, ACPA, and/or RF seropositivity, hand dominance and disease duration were not associated with more cortical interruptions on HR-pQCT. CONCLUSION: Structural damage and inflammatory features on MRI and radiographs are associated with cortical interruptions on HR-pQCT. No association between other risk factors and cortical interruptions was demonstrated.
OBJECTIVES: To study the relationship between structural damage and inflammatory features on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or radiography and other risk factors [anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) and/or rheumatoid factor (RF) seropositivity, hand dominance, disease duration] and the presence or number of cortical interruptions in finger joints on high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT). METHOD: Finger joints of 38 healthy subjects and 39 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were examined through radiographs, MRI, and HR-pQCT. Radiographs were scored according to the Sharp/van der Heijde (SvH) method; MRI for the presence of cortical interruptions, bone marrow oedema (BMO), and synovitis; and HR-pQCT images for cortical interruptions. Descriptive statistics were calculated and associations examined using generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: Cortical interruptions were found in healthy subjects and patients with RA on HR-pQCT (mean ± sd 0.33 ± 0.63 vs 0.38 ± 0.64 per joint quadrant, respectively, p < 0.01). Structural damage on MRI (cortical interruptions) or radiographs (SvH ≥ 1) was associated with the presence of cortical interruptions on HR-pQCT [odds ratio (OR) 12.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 7.5-21.4, p < 0.01 and OR 4.8, 95% CI 1.9-11.7, respectively, p < 0.01]. The presence of BMO or synovitis was associated with more cortical interruptions on HR-pQCT (β 0.47, 95% CI 0.4-0.6, p < 0.01 and β 1.9, 95% CI 0.6-3.1, p < 0.01). In patients with RA, ACPA, and/or RF seropositivity, hand dominance and disease duration were not associated with more cortical interruptions on HR-pQCT. CONCLUSION:Structural damage and inflammatory features on MRI and radiographs are associated with cortical interruptions on HR-pQCT. No association between other risk factors and cortical interruptions was demonstrated.