Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical Faculty of Aksaray University, Aksaray, Turkey.
Department of Radiology, Medical Faculty of Aksaray University, Aksaray, Turkey.
Clin Rheumatol. 2022 Jul;41(7):2001-2007. doi: 10.1007/s10067-022-06132-z. Epub 2022 Mar 19.
The aims of this study were to compare the distal femoral and talar cartilage thicknesses by ultrasonography (US) between patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and healthy controls and to investigate the potential relationship of these parameters with disease activity and clinical parameters.
Fifty-five patients with RA with a disease duration of up to 12 months (RA group), and 55 healthy volunteers (control group) were included in the study. The bilateral distal femur and talus cartilage thicknesses of all participants were measured by US and compared between the groups. The relationship of the results with the clinical data of the patients with early RA was investigated.
The distal femur (medial, central, and lateral) and talus cartilage thicknesses of both extremities were significantly lower in the RA group. The tender joint count was found to be slightly to moderately negatively correlated with cartilage thickness. However, no correlation was found between the swollen joint count and cartilage thickness. In addition, the disease activity scores were moderately and inversely correlated with cartilage thickness in certain areas.
The results of this preliminary study using US indicate that the distal femoral and talus cartilage of patients with RA can be affected in the early period, and the cartilage thickness of patients seems to be associated with disease activity. These results may inspire new studies for the evaluation of femoral and talar cartilage with US. Key Points • The distal femoral and talus cartilage thicknesses seem to be affected in the early period of rheumatoid arthritis. • There may be a relationship between the distal femur and talus cartilage thicknesses and disease activity in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis. • The tender joint count appears to be more associated with cartilage thickness than the swollen joint count in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis.
本研究旨在通过超声检查（US）比较早期类风湿关节炎（RA）患者与健康对照组的股骨远端和距骨软骨厚度，并探讨这些参数与疾病活动度和临床参数的潜在关系。
本研究纳入了 55 例病程不超过 12 个月的 RA 患者（RA 组）和 55 名健康志愿者（对照组）。使用 US 测量所有参与者的双侧股骨远端和距骨软骨厚度，并比较两组之间的差异。同时，还研究了这些结果与早期 RA 患者的临床数据之间的关系。
RA 组双侧股骨远端（内侧、中央和外侧）和距骨软骨厚度均明显降低。压痛关节计数与软骨厚度呈轻度至中度负相关。然而，肿胀关节计数与软骨厚度之间无相关性。此外，某些区域的疾病活动评分与软骨厚度呈中度负相关。
本研究初步使用 US 表明，RA 患者的股骨远端和距骨软骨可能在早期受到影响，且患者的软骨厚度似乎与疾病活动度有关。这些结果可能为使用 US 评估股骨和距骨软骨提供新的研究思路。关键点：
股骨远端和距骨软骨厚度似乎在类风湿关节炎的早期受到影响。
早期类风湿关节炎患者的股骨远端和距骨软骨厚度可能与疾病活动度有关。
早期类风湿关节炎患者中，压痛关节计数似乎比肿胀关节计数更与软骨厚度相关。
