SAT0258 Identification of axial spondyloarthritis among patients with chronic back pain in primary care – does determination of HLA B27 improve the performance of clinical assessments of inflammatory back pain?

2013 ◽  
Vol 71 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. 559.1-559
Author(s):  
A. Braun ◽  
E. Saracbasi ◽  
J. Grifka ◽  
U. Kiltz ◽  
J. Schnittker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Chronic Back Pain ◽  
Axial Spondyloarthritis ◽  
Inflammatory Back Pain ◽  
Hla B27 ◽  
Clinical Assessments

scholarly journals Identifying patients with axial spondyloarthritis in primary care: how useful are items indicative of inflammatory back pain?

2011 ◽  
Vol 70 (10) ◽  
pp. 1782-1787 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Braun ◽  
E Saracbasi ◽  
J Grifka ◽  
J Schnitker ◽  
J Braun
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Chronic Back Pain ◽  
Axial Spondyloarthritis ◽  
Age At Onset ◽  
Inflammatory Back Pain ◽  
Single Item ◽  
Inflammatory Drugs ◽  
Waking Up ◽  
Key Questions

BackgroundThe value of clinical items defining inflammatory back pain to identify patients with axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) in primary care is unclear.ObjectiveTo identify predictive clinical parameters for a diagnosis of axial SpA in patients with chronic back pain presenting in primary care.MethodsConsecutive patients aged <45 years (n=950) with back pain for >2 months who presented to orthopaedic surgeons (n=143) were randomised based on four key questions for referral to rheumatologists (n=36) for diagnosis.ResultsThe rheumatologists saw 322 representative patients (mean age 36 years, 50% female, median duration of back pain 30 months). 113 patients (35%) were diagnosed as axial SpA (62% HLA B27+), 47 (15%) as ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and 66 (21%) as axial non-radiographic SpA (nrSpA). Age at onset ≤35 years, improvement by exercise, improvement with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, waking up in the second half of the night and alternating buttock pain were identified as most relevant for diagnosing axial SpA by multiple regression analysis. Differences between AS and nrSpA were detected. No single item was predictive, but ≥3 items proved useful for good sensitivity and specificity by receiver operating characteristic modelling.ConclusionThis study shows that a preselection in primary care of patients with back pain based on a combination of clinical items is useful to facilitate the diagnosis of axial SpA.

scholarly journals Diagnostic accuracy of inflammatory back pain for axial spondyloarthritis in rheumatological care

RMD Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. e000825 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denis Poddubnyy ◽  
Johanna Callhoff ◽  
Inge Spiller ◽  
Joachim Listing ◽  
Juergen Braun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Chronic Back Pain ◽  
Axial Spondyloarthritis ◽  
Final Diagnosis ◽  
Inflammatory Back Pain ◽  
Likelihood Ratios ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Selection Parameter

ObjectiveInflammatory back pain (IBP), the key symptom of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), including ankylosing spondylitis, has been proposed as a screening test for patients presenting with chronic back pain in primary care. The diagnostic accuracy of IBP in the rheumatology setting is unknown.MethodsSix rheumatology centres, representing secondary and tertiary rheumatology care, included routinely referred patients with consecutive chronic back pain with suspicion of axSpA. IBP (diagnostic test) was assessed in each centre by an independent (blinded) rheumatologist; a second (unblinded) rheumatologist made the diagnosis (axSpA or no-axSpA), which served as reference standard.ResultsOf 461 routinely referred patients, 403 received a final diagnosis. IBP was present in 67.3%, and 44.6% (180/403) were diagnosed as axSpA. The sensitivity of IBP according to various definitions (global judgement, Calin, Berlin, Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society criteria for IBP) was 74.4%–81.1 % and comparable to published figures, whereas the specificity was unexpectedly low (25.1%–43.9%). The resulting positive likelihood ratios (LR+) were 1.1–1.4 and without major differences between sets of IBP criteria. The presence of IBP according to various definitions increased the probability of axSpA by 2.5%–8.4% only (from 44.6% to 47.1%–53.0%).ConclusionsThe diagnostic utility of IBP in the rheumatology setting was smaller than expected. However, this was counterbalanced by a high prevalence of IBP among referred patients, demonstrating the effective usage of IBP in primary care as selection parameter for referral to rheumatology. Notably, this study illustrates potential shifts in specificity and LR+ of diagnostic tests if these tests are used to select patients for referral.

Evaluation of 2 Screening Strategies for Early Identification of Patients with Axial Spondyloarthritis in Primary Care

2011 ◽  
Vol 38 (11) ◽  
pp. 2452-2460 ◽  
Author(s):  
DENIS PODDUBNYY ◽  
JANIS VAHLDIEK ◽  
INGE SPILLER ◽  
BEATE BUSS ◽  
JOACHIM LISTING ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Chronic Back Pain ◽  
Axial Spondyloarthritis ◽  
Age At Onset ◽  
Positive Family History ◽  
Screening Method ◽  
Inflammatory Back Pain ◽  
Care Level ◽  
Primary Care Level

Objective.To evaluate 2 referral strategies for axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) in patients with chronic low back pain at the primary care level.Methods.Referral physicians (n = 259) were randomly assigned to either Strategy 1 or Strategy 2 in order to refer patients with chronic back pain (duration > 3 months), age at onset of back pain < 45 years, and no diagnosis of axial SpA, to a cooperating rheumatologist (n = 43). According to Strategy 1, suitable patients were referred if at least 1 of the following screening criteria was present: inflammatory back pain, HLA-B27, or sacroiliitis detected by imaging. According to Strategy 2, patients were referred if 2 out of 5 criteria were positive: the same 3 criteria from Strategy 1 and additionally a positive family history of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) or a good treatment response to nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. The final diagnosis of the rheumatologist was used as the “gold standard.”Results.In total, 560 consecutively referred patients were included in the analysis. Among 318 patients referred by Strategy 1, 41.8% (95% CI 36.5%–47.3%) were diagnosed with definite axial SpA. Among 242 patients referred by the second strategy, definite axial SpA was diagnosed in 36.8% (95% CI 31.0%–43.0%) of the cases.Conclusion.Both referral strategies demonstrated comparable performance in identification of patients with axial SpA. Strategy 1 might be preferred as an easy and reliable screening method for axial SpA at the primary care level.

Early recognition of patients with axial spondyloarthritis—evaluation of referral strategies in primary care

Rheumatology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 59 (12) ◽  
pp. 3845-3852 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xenofon Baraliakos ◽  
Styliani Tsiami ◽  
Imke Redeker ◽  
Konstantinos Tsimopoulos ◽  
Ali Marashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Predictive Value ◽  
Chronic Back Pain ◽  
Early Recognition ◽  
Care Physician ◽  
Referral System ◽  
Inflammatory Back Pain ◽  
Hla B27 ◽  
Predictive Values

Abstract Objective Chronic inflammatory back pain (IBP) is frequently reported in axial SpA (axSpA) but also in the general population. We evaluated a recently proposed two-step referral system for early recognition of axSpA in primary care and compare it with other combinations of symptoms and SpA-related items. Methods Consecutive chronic back pain patients ≤45 years of age answered a questionnaire and were seen by a primary care physician who decided whether HLA-B27 needed to be determined. They were then referred to a rheumatologist who made the diagnosis. Generally sticking to the two-step system with HLA-B27 as an additional option, combinations with a sensitivity ≥90% and a likelihood ratio &gt;4 were compared. Results A total of 326 patients were included, 46 of whom were diagnosed with axSpA (14.1%). The sensitivity of the strategy was 87%, the specificity was 56.8% and the positive and negative predictive values were 24.8% and 96.4%, respectively. A ‘good response to NSAIDs’, ‘morning stiffness &gt;30 min’ and ‘elevated C-reactive protein’ performed best, with a sensitivity of 91%, specificity of 67%, positive predictive value of 31% and negative predictive value of 98%. On that basis, only three patients had to be seen by a rheumatologist to diagnose one. Conclusion The earlier proposed referral system worked well but was outperformed by other combinations with high sensitivity and better specificity, which deserve to be prospectively studied.

scholarly journals SAT0380 ENHANCING RHEUMATOLOGY REFERRALS AMONG INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE PATIENTS WITH SUSPECTED AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1138.2-1138
Author(s):  
C. S. E. Lim ◽  
M. Tremelling ◽  
L. Hamilton ◽  
A. Macgregor ◽  
K. Gaffney
Keyword(s):  
Back Pain ◽  
Musculoskeletal Pain ◽  
Chronic Back Pain ◽  
Axial Spondyloarthritis ◽  
Inflammatory Back Pain ◽  
Aminosalicylic Acid ◽  
Research Support ◽  
Clinical Probability ◽  
Asas Criteria ◽  
History Of

Background:Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In IBD patients, the clinical probability of axSpA increases in those with chronic back pain (CBP) whose symptoms started before the age of forty-five years old. In practice, this should trigger a rheumatology review especially if accompanied by other symptoms suspicious of inflammatory disease. However, in any health system, the goal of identifying all possible cases need to be balanced with the practical realisation of the finite resources available.Objectives:The study aimed to define the clinical characteristics of a subgroup of IBD patients who are routinely managed in secondary care who have an increased clinical probability for axSpA. Identification of these characteristics may help improve the quality and specificity of referrals to Rheumatology from Gastroenterology clinics.Methods:An analytical cross-sectional study was undertaken. Consecutive IBD patients attending routine Gastroenterology clinics were sent a modified validated back pain questionnaire. The questionnaire included the presence or absence of a previous diagnosis of axSpA; components of validated inflammatory back pain criteria; diagrams to indicate the location of back pain and other musculoskeletal pain; personal and family history of known axSpA manifestations; and details of their IBD course, activity and treatment.IBD patients, with back pain duration > 3 months with onset before 45 years were considered to have a medium diagnostic probability (MDP) for axSpA. MDP-positive IBD patients were compared with MDP-negative IBD patients and logistic regression was used to model the association with clinical features.Results:Four hundred and seventy consecutive IBD patients (mean age 54 years; 46% male) were surveyed. Two hundred and nine patients (59%) replied, of whom 191 patients (69%) consented to participate. One hundred and seventy-three (91%) of those who consented had a valid completed questionnaire and were included for data analysis. Of these, 74% had Ulcerative Colitis and 26% had Crohn’s disease. Their mean age was 58 years, 39% male. Mean age at IBD diagnosis was 39 years, mean IBD disease duration 19 yrs. CBP (back pain greater than three months) was reported by 76%. Inflammatory back pain fulfilling Calin, Berlin, ASAS criteria was seen in 23%, 29%, and 15% respectively. In addition, 80% reported peripheral musculoskeletal pain. Self-reported personal history of enthesitis, reactive arthritis (ReA), acute anterior uveitis (AAU), skin psoriasis (PSO) and dactylitis were 50%, 30%, 24%, 15% and 0% respectively. Self-reported family history of IBD, ReA, PSO, axSpA and AAU were 60%, 36%, 22%, 11%, and 1% respectively.Ninety-one (53%) patients were MDP-positive and 82 (47%) patients were MDP-negative. The clinical characteristics associated with MDP (adjusted for age at invitation) were: the presence of inflammatory back pain using ASAS criteria [OR 8.84 (1.61,48.67); p=0.01], longer interval between symptom onset and gastroenterologist diagnosis of IBD [OR 1.09 (1.03,1.16); p=0.005], and use of rectal topical 5-aminosalicylic acid [OR 3.27 (1.11,9.68); p=0.03].Conclusion:Chronic back pain and peripheral musculoskeletal pain are common in a secondary care IBD population. In IBD patients, with back pain duration > 3 months and onset before 45 years, the presence of inflammatory back pain, longer diagnostic delay of IBD and the use of rectal topical 5-aminosalicylic acid were associated with a higher clinical probability of axSpA. The identification of these clinical features may not only improve the quality and specificity of Rheumatology referrals from Gastroenterology in this subgroup of patients but also lends real world evidence to current ASAS-endorsed recommendations for early referral of patients with a suspicion of axial spondyloarthritis.Disclosure of Interests:Chong Seng Edwin Lim Grant/research support from: AbbVie - Research support/grant but NOT for this study., Mark Tremelling: None declared, Louise Hamilton: None declared, Alexander Macgregor: None declared, Karl Gaffney Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Celgene, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, and UCB Pharma, Consultant of: AbbVie, Celgene, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, and UCB Pharma, Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Celgene, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, and UCB Pharma

scholarly journals Is a positive family history of spondyloarthritis relevant for diagnosing axial spondyloarthritis once HLA-B27 status is known?

Rheumatology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (9) ◽  
pp. 1649-1654 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miranda van Lunteren ◽  
Désirée van der Heijde ◽  
Alexandre Sepriano ◽  
Inger J Berg ◽  
Maxime Dougados ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Back Pain ◽  
Family History ◽  
Anterior Uveitis ◽  
Chronic Back Pain ◽  
Axial Spondyloarthritis ◽  
Positive Family History ◽  
Hla B27 ◽  
Acute Anterior Uveitis ◽  
Negative Results ◽  
History Of

Abstract Objectives A positive family history (PFH) of spondyloarthritis, in particular a PFH of AS or acute anterior uveitis, is associated with HLA-B27 carriership in chronic back pain patients. As it is unknown, the study aimed to investigate if a PFH contributes to diagnosing axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) once HLA-B27 status is known. Methods In axSpA-suspected patients from the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS), DEvenir des Spondyloarthropathies Indifférenciéés Récentes (DESIR) and SPondyloArthritis Caught Early (SPACE) cohorts, logistic regression analyses were performed with HLA-B27 status and PFH according to the ASAS definition (ASAS-PFH) as determinants and clinical axSpA diagnosis as outcome at baseline. Analyses were repeated with a PFH of AS or acute anterior uveitis. Results In total, 1818 patients suspected of axSpA were analysed (ASAS n = 594, DESIR n = 647, and SPACE n = 577). In patients from the ASAS, DESIR and SPACE cohorts, respectively 23%, 39% and 38% had an ASAS-PFH, 52%, 58% and 43% were HLA-B27 positive, and 62%, 47% and 54% were diagnosed with axSpA. HLA-B27 was independently associated with an axSpA diagnosis in each cohort but an ASAS-PFH was not [ASAS cohort: HLA-B27 odds ratio (OR): 6.9 (95% CI: 4.7, 10.2), ASAS-PFH OR: 0.9 (95% CI: 0.6, 1.4); DESIR: HLA-B27 OR: 2.1 (95% CI: 1.5, 2.9), ASAS-PFH OR: 1.0 (95% CI 0.7, 1.3); SPACE: HLA-B27 OR: 10.4 (95% CI: 6.9, 15.7), ASAS-PFH OR: 1.0 (95% CI: 0.7, 1.5)]. Similar negative results were found for PFH of AS and acute anterior uveitis. Conclusion In three independent cohorts with different ethnical backgrounds, ASAS, DESIR and SPACE, a PFH was not associated independently of HLA-B27 with a diagnosis of axSpA. This indicates that in the vast majority of patients presenting with back pain, a PFH does not contribute to the likelihood of an axSpA diagnosis if HLA-B27 status is known.

General Practitioners’ Perceptions of Their Ability to Identify and Refer Patients with Suspected Axial Spondyloarthritis: A Qualitative Study

2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 897-901 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marloes van Onna ◽  
Simone Gorter ◽  
Aniek van Meerendonk ◽  
Astrid van Tubergen
Keyword(s):  
Back Pain ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
General Practitioners ◽  
Chronic Back Pain ◽  
Axial Spondyloarthritis ◽  
Inflammatory Back Pain ◽  
Coding System ◽  
Disease Spectrum ◽  
Insidious Onset ◽  
Mechanical Back Pain

Objective.To explore the knowledge, beliefs, and experiences of general practitioners (GP) about inflammatory back pain (IBP) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and potential barriers for referral of patients suspected of having axSpA.Methods.A qualitative study involving semistructured interviews with GP was conducted. Transcripts of the interviews were independently read and annotated by 2 readers. Illustrative themes were identified and a coding system to categorize the data was developed.Results.Ten GP (all men; mean age 49 yrs) were interviewed. All could adequately describe “classic” ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and mentioned chronic back pain and/or stiffness as key features. All GP thought that AS is almost exclusively diagnosed in men. Six GP knew that there is a difference between mechanical back pain and IBP, but could recall only a limited number of variables indicative of IBP, such as awakening night pain (4 GP), insidious onset of back pain (1 GP), improvement with movement (1 GP), and (morning) stiffness (2 GP). Two GP mentioned peripheral arthritis as other SpA features, none mentioned dactylitis or enthesitis. GP awareness of associated extraarticular manifestations was low. Most GP expressed that (practical) referral measures would be useful.Conclusion.GP are aware of “classic”, but longterm features of axSpA. Knowledge about the disease spectrum and early detection is, however, limited. Addressing these issues in training programs may improve recognition of axSpA in primary care. This may ultimately contribute to earlier referral, diagnosis, and initiation of effective treatment in patients with axSpA.

AB0733 Which Chronic Back Pain (CBP) Characteristics Are Associated with A Positive HLA-B27 in Patients with Suspected Axial Spondyloarthritis (AXSPA)? Results from the Esperanza Cohort: Table 1

2014 ◽  
Vol 73 (Suppl 2) ◽  
pp. 1045.2-1046
Author(s):  
V. Navarro-Compán ◽  
J.J. Aznar ◽  
L.F. Linares ◽  
E. Collantes-Estevez ◽  
P. Zarco
Keyword(s):  
Back Pain ◽  
Chronic Back Pain ◽  
Axial Spondyloarthritis ◽  
Hla B27

scholarly journals MRI compared with low-dose CT scanning in the diagnosis of axial spondyloarthritis

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 1295-1303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lusi Ye ◽  
Yuncai Liu ◽  
Qinqin Xiao ◽  
Ledan Dong ◽  
Caiyun Wen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Back Pain ◽  
Sacroiliac Joint ◽  
Chronic Back Pain ◽  
Axial Spondyloarthritis ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
High Specificity ◽  
Ct Scanning ◽  
Conventional Radiography ◽  
Plain Radiography ◽  
Inflammatory Back Pain

Abstract Objectives To compare the performance of conventional radiography, ldCT, and MRI in the diagnosis of sacroiliitis in suspected axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). Methods Patients presenting with > 3 months chronic back pain were assessed by axSpA-experienced rheumatologists and diagnosed as axSpA or not; axSpA patients were then considered nr-axSpA or AS using plain radiography. Non-axSpA patients were recruited as controls, and divided into non-inflammatory and inflammatory groups on the basis of inflammatory back pain and/or CRP/ESR elevation. Clinical variables, pelvic radiography, sacroiliac joint (SIJ) ldCT, and SIJ MRI were obtained. Results A total of 121 patients were included and had SIJ radiography and ldCT, of whom 71 additionally had an SIJ MRI. These included 23 non-inflammatory controls, 21 inflammatory controls, 32 nr-axSpA cases, and 45 AS cases. Fourteen of 32 (44%) nr-axSpA patients had positive ldCT scans, 21/24 (88%) had MRI-BMO, and 11/24 (46%) had MRI-structural lesions. ldCT had high specificity with only 1/23 (4%) non-inflammatory controls being positive. MRI-BMO had the highest sensitivity for nr-axSpA, but compared with ldCT lower specificity, with 5/15 (33%) of non-inflammatory controls being positive, and similar sensitivity for AS (20/22 (91%) vs 44/44 for ldCT). Conclusions ldCT identifies evidence of radiographic change in a significant proportion of nr-axSpA cases and is highly specific for axSpA. MRI-BMO lesions are more sensitive than either conventional radiography or MRI-structural assessment for axSpA. The relative position of these imaging modalities in screening for axSpA needs to be reconsidered, also taking into account the costs involved.Key Points• ldCT is more sensitive for erosions or sclerosis in axSpA than plain radiography, with 44% of patients with nr-axSpA having evidence of AS-related sacroiliac joint changes on ldCT.• MRI-structural lesions are no more sensitive but are less specific for AS than ldCT.• MRI-BMO is the most sensitive test for nr-axSpA of the modalities tested but is less specific for axSpA than for ldCT.

scholarly journals Primary care physician perspectives on barriers to diagnosing axial Spondyloarthritis: a qualitative study

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate L. Lapane ◽  
Sara Khan ◽  
Divya Shridharmurthy ◽  
Ariel Beccia ◽  
Catherine Dubé ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Primary Care Physicians ◽  
Axial Spondyloarthritis ◽  
Diagnostic Delay ◽  
Patient Characteristics ◽  
Inflammatory Back Pain ◽  
Average Delay ◽  
Disease Characteristics ◽  
Pain Clinics

Abstract Background The average delay in diagnosis for patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is 7 to 10 years. Factors that contribute to this delay are multifactorial and include the lack of diagnostic criteria (although classification criteria exist) for axSpA and the difficulty in distinguishing inflammatory back pain, a key symptom of axSpA, from other highly prevalent forms of low back pain. We sought to describe reasons for diagnostic delay for axSpA provided by primary care physicians. Methods We conducted a qualitative research study which included 18 US primary care physicians, balanced by gender. Physicians provided informed consent to participate in an in-depth interview (< 60 min), conducted in person (n = 3) or over the phone (n = 15), in 2019. The analysis focuses on thoughts about factors contributing to diagnostic delay in axSpA. Results Physicians noted that the disease characteristics contributing to diagnostic delay include: back pain is common and axSpA is less prevalent, slow progression of axSpA, intermittent nature of axSpA pain, and in the absence of abnormal radiographs of the spine or sacroiliac joints, there is no definitive test for axSpA. Patient characteristics believed to contribute to diagnostic delay included having multiple conditions in need of attention, infrequent interactions with the health care system, and “doctor shopping.” Doctors noted that patients wait until the last moments of the clinical encounter to discuss back pain. Problematic physician characteristics included lack of rapport with patients, lack of setting appropriate expectations, and attribution of back pain to other factors. Structural/system issues included short appointments, lack of continuity of care, insufficient insurance coverage for tests, lack of back pain clinics, and a shortage of rheumatologists. Conclusion Primary care physicians agreed that lengthy axSpA diagnosis delays are challenging to address owing to the multifactorial causes (e.g., disease characteristics, patient characteristics, lack of definitive tests, system factors).

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