PROGNOSTIC FACTORS FOR RADIOGRAPHIC DAMAGE AND PHYSICAL DISABILITY IN EARLY RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. A PROSPECTIVE FOLLOW-UP STUDY OF 147 PATIENTS

(1) Background: It has long been suggested that seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (RA) represents a clinical entity quite distinct from that of seropositive. However, analytical studies of seronegative RA dedicated to clinical outcomes regarding radiographic progression and related risk factors are scarce. The aim of this study is to evaluate radiographic outcome and prognostic factors for radiographic progression in patients with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis. (2) Methods: Subjects included RA patients reported as seronegative for both rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated protein antibody, who were treated at Jeju National University Hospital in South Korea between 2003 and 2016, including follow-up of at least 2 years. All patients fulfilled 1987 ACA or 2010 ACR/EULAR RA criteria. Radiographic progression was measured by yearly change in the Sharp van der Heijde (SvdH) score during follow-up periods. Medical records, laboratory and radiographic data were retrospectively analyzed, and linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate prognostic factors for radiographic progression in patients with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis. (3) Results: In total, 116 patients with seronegative RA were observed and 43 (37.1%) patients demonstrated radiographic damage during follow-up period. Mean age at diagnosis was 48 years and 86 (74.1%) patients were female. Symptom duration at diagnosis was 1.3 years and mean follow-up duration was 5.2 years. Patients with radiographic damage at diagnosis were 14 (12.1%) and mean SvdH score was 6.8 at diagnosis. Radiographic damage and SvdH at diagnosis significantly correlated with radiographic progression in patients with seronegative RA after adjusting age, sex, symptom duration, number of active synovitis, and CRP at diagnosis (β-coefficient 6.5 ± 1.84; p = 0.001 and β-coefficient 0.12 ± 0.02; p < 0.001, respectively). (4) Conclusions: This study determined that radiographic damage and SvdH at diagnosis were predictive factors in progression of radiographic damage in patients with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis. A large comparative study dedicated to this issue in seronegative RA is required.

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Cortical hand bone loss after 1 year in early rheumatoid arthritis predicts radiographic hand joint damage at 5-year and 10-year follow-up

Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases ◽

10.1136/ard.2007.085985 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 68 (3) ◽

pp. 324-329 ◽

Cited By ~ 73

Author(s):

M Hoff ◽

G Haugeberg ◽

S Ødegård ◽

S Syversen ◽

R Landewé ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽

Bone Loss ◽

Regression Model ◽

Early Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽

Independent Predictor ◽

Joint Damage ◽

Mineral Density ◽

Radiographic Damage ◽

Sharp Score

Objective:To examine 1-year hand bone loss in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as a predictor of radiographic damage at 5-year and 10-year follow-upMethods:A total of 136 patients with RA (disease duration 0–4 years) were followed for 10 years with clinical data and hand radiographs. Joint damage was scored according to the van der Heijde modification of the Sharp method (vdH Sharp score) and hand bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by digital x ray radiogrammetry (DXR). Group comparisons, correlation analyses and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship between hand bone loss and radiographic joint damage.Results:Patients with hand BMD loss at 1 year had a higher median increase in vdH Sharp score compared to patients without loss at 5 years (12 vs 2, p = 0.001) and 10 years (22 vs 4, p = 0.002). In a linear regression model adjusting for age, gender, baseline C-reactive protein (CRP), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP), IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) and radiographic damage, absolute hand DXR-BMD loss at 1 year was an independent predictor of radiographic outcome at 5 years (p<0.01) and 10 years (p = 0.02). In a logistic regression model the odds ratio (95% CI) for radiographic progression among patients with hand BMD loss was 3.5 (1.4 to 8.8) and 3.5 (1.4 to 8.4) at 5 and 10 years, respectively.Conclusion:Early hand bone loss measured by DXR-BMD is an independent predictor of subsequent radiographic damage. Our findings support that quantitative hand bone loss in RA precedes radiographic joint damage and may be used as a tool for assessment of bone involvement in RA.

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