Enrico M Zardi1, Maria Elena Pipita2, Chiara Giorgi3, Antonella Afeltra4, Nicola Maffulli5,6,7, Francesco Franceschi8. 1. Internistic Ultrasound Service "Campus Bio-Medico" University, Rome, Italy e.zardi@unicampus.it. 2. Internistic Ultrasound Service "Campus Bio-Medico" University, Rome, Italy. 3. Radiology Department, S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Urbino, Italy. 4. Immunorheumatology "Campus Bio-Medico" University, Rome, Italy. 5. Department of Musculoskeletal Disorders, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy. 6. Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine, Mile End Hospital, Queen Mary University of London, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, U.K. 7. School of Medicine, Institute of Science and Technology in Medicine, Guy Hilton, Keele University, Newcastle, U.K. 8. Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Campus Biomedico University, Rome, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM: To compare patients affected by ankylosing spondylitis (AS) treated with anti-TNF-α for two years with controls in terms of Achilles tendon stiffness, ultrasound structure and thickness. PATIENTS AND METHODS: B-mode ultrasound evaluation and strain ultrasound elastography were performed in longitudinal and transverse planes on 22 Achilles tendons of 11 AS patients and 26 of 13 controls. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in thickness and stiffness of the Achilles tendon between AS patients and controls, except for an increased thickness in the middle third of the tendon in the AS patients (p=0.04). The Achilles tendon stiffness ratio of AS patients was 1.02±0.36 vs. 1.14±0.38 in the controls (p=0.2). CONCLUSION: AS patients had an Achilles tendon thickness greater than controls at the middle third, but no difference in the stiffness was found among them. Strain ultrasound elastography may be useful to exclude early changes in mechanical properties of tendons. Copyright
BACKGROUND/AIM: To compare patients affected by ankylosing spondylitis (AS) treated with anti-TNF-α for two years with controls in terms of Achilles tendon stiffness, ultrasound structure and thickness. PATIENTS AND METHODS: B-mode ultrasound evaluation and strain ultrasound elastography were performed in longitudinal and transverse planes on 22 Achilles tendons of 11 AS patients and 26 of 13 controls. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in thickness and stiffness of the Achilles tendon between AS patients and controls, except for an increased thickness in the middle third of the tendon in the AS patients (p=0.04). The Achilles tendon stiffness ratio of AS patients was 1.02±0.36 vs. 1.14±0.38 in the controls (p=0.2). CONCLUSION: AS patients had an Achilles tendon thickness greater than controls at the middle third, but no difference in the stiffness was found among them. Strain ultrasound elastography may be useful to exclude early changes in mechanical properties of tendons. Copyright
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