Risk of cervical myelopathy in rheumatoid arthritis patients with neck pain

Involvement of the cervical spine is common in rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical presentation can be variable, and symptoms may be due to neck pain or compressive myeloradiculopathy. We discuss the pathology, grading systems, clinical presentation, indications for surgery and surgical management of cervical myelopathy related to rheumatoid arthritis in this paper. We describe our surgical technique and results. We recommend early consultation for surgical management when involvement of the cervical spine is suspected in rheumatoid arthritis. Even patients with advanced cervical myelopathy should be discussed for surgical treatment, since in our experience improvement in function after surgery is common.

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SAT0547 RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGING IN ASSESSMENT OF FLUOROSCOPIC GUIDED INJECTION OF RHEUMATOID ATLANTOAXIAL JOINT INFLAMMATION

Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases ◽

10.1136/annrheumdis-2020-eular.1810 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽

pp. 1230.1-1231

Author(s):

D. Fouad ◽

S. Rashad ◽

M. Ghaly ◽

M. Hassanien

Keyword(s):

Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽

Neck Pain ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Sleep Disturbance ◽

Steroid Injection ◽

Therapeutic Option ◽

Control Group ◽

Atlantoaxial Joint ◽

Post Intervention

Background:Rheumatoid spondylitis is a feature of long-lasting Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that is presented by neck pain, headache and sleep disturbance. Atlantoaxial joint (AAJ) is the commonest cervical spine joint that affected in patients with RA. When it is involved, it can be associated with dangerous complications. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) can be used for assessing the disease activity, the amount of cartilage destruction, associated cervical myelopathy and differentiating synovial fluid from inflammatory pannus (Taniguchi D, et al., 2008).Objectives:This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of intra-articular steroid injection of inflamed AAJ in RA patients, regarding neck pain, headache and sleep quality using pre and post-interventions MRI.Methods:A prospective case control study. Patients with inflamed AAJ were recruited. Group 1 (AAJ group, n = 30), received intraarticular AAJ steroid injection, guided by fluoroscopy and Group 2 (control group, n = 30), received systemic steroids. Both groups were assessed with: Visual Analogue scale (VAS) for nocturnal neck pain and headache. Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) was used for sleep disturbance. Pre and post contrasts enhanced MRI interventions were done for both groups during the period of follow up (three months).Results:Nocturnal neck pain, headache and sleep disturbance have significantly decreased, during follow up visits (3 months), in AAJ group in comparison to the control group. The Pre-intervention nocturnal pain score was 60.3 ±17.1 in AAJ group & 58.5 ±17.9 in control group. Pain has significantly decreased after 2weeks in AAJ group with continuous improvement till 3 months’ post-intervention 6.9 ±4.65 & 51.26 ±10.54 respectively. The pre-intervention headache was 22.68 ±16.74 in AAJ group & 45.17 ±15.83 in control group decreased to 7.54 ±5.23 & 48.52 ±11.98 respectively post intervention. The percentage of patients who had sleep disturbance at baseline was 66.7% & 73.3% in AAJ and control groups respectively which has significantly decreased to 6.7% & 43.3% after 3 months. Regarding MRI, AAJ group hada statistical significant decreasein the percentage of patients with MRI synovial enhancement, inflammatorypannus,fibrosis and bone marrow edema in comparison to control group 3 months post intervention. All post-procedural side effects resolved within thmonth without further medical intervention, and no long-term sequelae were identifiedConclusion:Fluoroscopic guided intra-articular steroid injection of inflamed atlantoaxial joints is considered a beneficial therapeutic option in rheumatoid arthritis patients regarding clinical and radiological assessments.References:[1]Taniguchi D, Tokunaga D, Hase H, et al. Evaluation of lateral instability of AAJ in RA using dynamic open-mouth view radiographs. Clin Rheumatol.2008 Jul. 27(7):851-7.Disclosure of Interests:None declared

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THU0453 THIRD OCCIPITAL NERVE RADIO-FREQUENCY UNDER FLUOROSCOPIC GUIDANCE IN MANAGEMENT OF CERVICOGENIC HEADACHE IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases ◽

10.1136/annrheumdis-2020-eular.241 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽

pp. 463.2-464

Author(s):

A. Alawamy ◽

M. Hassanien ◽

E. Talaat ◽

E. Kamel

Keyword(s):

Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽

Cervical Spine ◽

Neck Pain ◽

Neck Disability Index ◽

Cervicogenic Headache ◽

Control Group ◽

Fluoroscopic Guidance ◽

Occipital Nerve ◽

Nocturnal Pain ◽

Neck Disability

Background:Rheumatoid arthritis is a common type of autoimmune arthritis characterized by chronic inflammation. Cervical spine is often affected specially in long lasting diseaseObjectives:Evaluate efficacy of Third occipital nerve Radiofrequency under fluoroscopic guidance to treat refractory cervicogenic headache in RA patients.Methods:The current study was revised and approved from the local ethical committee of Faculty of Medicine; Assiut University, then registered in the clinical trials under the number ofNCT03852355. Inclusion criteria included, Patients who fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) (2010) criteria for RA and suffering from upper neck pain and/or headache due to bilateral 3rd occipital nerve involvement, excluding other local cervical spine pathologies was confirmed by MRI and previously failed conservative treatment for at least three months prior to enrollment. Sixty adult patients were randomly assigned to one of the two studied groups Group 1 (RF, n = 30), received bilateral Third occipital nerve Radiofrequency under fluoroscopic guidance or Group 2 (control group, n = 30), received oral prednisolone 10 mg/day. The two groups were then followed-up with neck disability index (NDI), nocturnal neck pain VAS score and headache score every two weeks for three months. Sleep disturbance, sleep disability index were reassessed six months post intervention. Post interventional assessment was done by pain physician who were kept blind to the grouping process.Results:Neck disability index (1ry outcome), Nocturnal pain VAS, and severity of headache showed significant differences during the whole post-interventional study period. The patients in RF group demonstrated significant improvement of pain in comparison to baseline value over the whole six months with p-value < 0.001 as regard to the fore-mentioned three parameters. On the other aspect, the control group patients showed significant improvement in comparison to its baseline value after the 2nd, 12th and 24th weeks only as follows: (0.001,0.003, 0.003 for the NDI) (p values of 0.02,0.01, 0.01 for the nocturnal pain VAS), (0.001 0.009, 0.005 for the headache VAS severity.Conclusion:Radiofrequency of 3rd occipital nerve is effective in treatment of refractory cervicogenic headache in RA.Disclosure of Interests: :None declared

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