Enhanced MRI in early undifferentiated oligoarthritis of the knee joints: improvements already visible after 2 months of DMARDs treatment

Gadolinium-enhanced MRI features of acute gouty arthritis on top of chronic gouty involvement in different joints

The aims of the current study are to describe gadolinium-enhanced MRI features of an acute flare of established gouty arthritis in different joints and to examine a possible association between serum uric acid and MRI signs indicative of ongoing inflammation and/or structural joint damage as well as association with disease characteristics and laboratory findings. Twenty-seven male patients with established chronic gout agreed to participate, mean age 47.6 years, and mean disease duration in months 43.2 (±31.8). For all patients, detailed demographic, disease characteristics, and laboratory findings were obtained and correlated with MRI findings. In 27 patients with established gout, a total of 50 MRI studies were performed of the following joints: feet joints (n = 23), ankles (n = 18), knees (n = 5), and hand and wrist joints (n = 4). MRI revealed capsular thickening in 19 patients, bone marrow edema (BME) in 15, soft tissue edema (STE) in 20, joint effusion in 21, bone erosions in 17, cartilaginous erosions in 4, and tenosynovitis in 9 cases. In 17 cases, tophaceous lesions were found. Post contrast MRI showed synovial thickening in seven cases. Positive correlations were observed between serum uric acid levels and the following MRI findings: capsular thickening (r = 0.552, p = 0.003), BME (r = 0.668, p ≤ 0.0001), STE (r = 0.559, p = 0.002), and tenosynovitis (r = 0.513, p = 0.006). Using MRI in chronic gout, important features can be detected like BME, minute cartilaginous erosions, and hypertrophic synovial inflammation in post contrast MR images. Serum uric acid (SUA) was positively correlated with capsular thickening, BME, STE, and tenosynovitis.

Psoriatic arthritis

Autoimmune diseases (ADs) are chronic, often debilitating and potentially life-threatening conditions that collectively affect up to 23.5 million Americans, and their incidence is rising.¹ They are heterogeneous in pathology but share common etiopathogenic factors such as intestinal hyperpermeability.² Although up to 100 ADs have been identified, there are likely more.¹ Genetics plays a clear role in the predisposition for the development and phenotype of AD, but various combinations of factors, such as toxins, endogenous hormone imbalances, microbes (including of GI origin), infections, stress and food antigens, are involved in disease expression.^2–5 Standard treatments include NSAIDs, steroids, antineoplastic agents and tumor necrosis factor-alpha antagonists. These tools have potentially devastating side effects and are often applied regardless of the diagnosis. Frequently, they are only modestly effective in relieving symptoms and limiting the advancing disease process. Direct health-care costs of AD are estimated at around 100 billion dollars per year in the United States. By comparison, cancer care costs about 57 billion dollars per year.¹ The rising incidence of this debilitating and costly group of conditions dictates that safe, alternative approaches to treatment be considered now.

Multinational evidence-based recommendations on how to investigate and follow-up undifferentiated peripheral inflammatory arthritis: integrating systematic literature research and expert opinion of a broad international panel of rheumatologists in the 3E Initiative

Objective

To develop evidence-based recommendations on how to investigate and follow-up undifferentiated peripheral inflammatory arthritis (UPIA).

Methods

697 rheumatologists from 17 countries participated in the 3E (Evidence, Expertise, Exchange) Initiative of 2008–9 consisting of three separate rounds of discussions and modified Delphi votes. In the first round 10 clinical questions were selected. A bibliographic team systematically searched Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library and ACR/EULAR 2007–2008 meeting abstracts. Relevant articles were reviewed for quality assessment, data extraction and synthesis. In the second round each country elaborated a set of national recommendations. Finally, multinational recommendations were formulated and agreement among the participants and the potential impact on their clinical practice was assessed.

Results

A total of 39 756 references were identified, of which 250 were systematically reviewed. Ten multinational key recommendations about the investigation and follow-up of UPIA were formulated. One recommendation addressed differential diagnosis and investigations prior to establishing the operational diagnosis of UPIA, seven recommendations related to the diagnostic and prognostic value of clinical and laboratory assessments in established UPIA (history and physical examination, acute phase reactants, autoantibodies, radiographs, MRI and ultrasound, genetic markers and synovial biopsy), one recommendation highlighted predictors of persistence (chronicity) and the final recommendation addressed monitoring of clinical disease activity in UPIA.

Conclusions

Ten recommendations on how to investigate and follow-up UPIA in the clinical setting were developed. They are evidence-based and supported by a large panel of rheumatologists, thus enhancing their validity and practical use.

Can Magnetic Resonance Imaging Differentiate Undifferentiated Arthritis Based on Knee Imaging?

Objective.

To compare findings as observed on enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the knee joints, in oligoarticular-undifferentiated arthritis (UA) in those with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondyloarthropathy (SpA).

Methods.

A total of 55 patients with knee arthritis were consecutively recruited for the study, including 25 with undifferentiated oligoarthritis of the knee joint(s), 15 fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology criteria for RA and 15 with SpA. Laboratory investigations included erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, complete blood count, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, serum creatinine, and urine analysis. In all patients in the UA and in the RA group, rheumatoid factor and anti-CCP2 antibody (ELISA) were tested. All patients underwent enhanced MRI of the more symptomatic knee. All groups were compared in terms of demographics, laboratory investigations, and MRI findings.

Results.

Synovial thickness differed significantly in the RA group compared to UA and SpA groups (p < 0.001). The RA group showed a higher rate of bony and cartilaginous erosions and bone marrow edema compared to UA and SpA groups (p < 0.001). Enthesitis was found in all patients in the SpA group (100%) and differed from RA and UA groups (p < 0.001).

Conclusion.

Patients with RA showed more destructive changes in terms of synovial thickening, bone marrow edema, cartilaginous and bone erosions compared to UA and SpA groups. Enthesitis is a common feature on MRI in SpA, while absent in the RA and UA groups. This latter finding may have important clinical implications for classification purposes, and can help to determine the evolving pattern of patients with UA of the knee joint.

Hippocampal N-acetylaspartate levels before trauma predict the development of long-lasting posttraumatic stress disorder-like symptoms in mice

BACKGROUND

Only a certain proportion of individuals develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the aftermath of a trauma. Biomarkers of individual susceptibility are not yet known but would enable selected primary and secondary prevention of PTSD.

METHODS

Hippocampal N-acetylaspartate (NAA) levels were assessed by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) in C57BL/6N mice prior to the perception of a 1.5 mA electric footshock. Associative (freezing to trauma context) and nonassociative (freezing to a neutral tone; i.e., hyperarousal) symptoms of PTSD-like fear were assessed 4, 5, 18, and 32 weeks after trauma.

RESULTS

Low NAA levels in the left dorsal hippocampus predicted persistent PTSD-like symptoms (both contextual freezing and hyperarousal), while animals with pretraumatic high levels of NAA decreased their fear reactions to control levels in consequence of re-exposure to associative and nonassociative cues. N-AA levels in the right dorsal hippocampus, in contrast, were only partially predictive of the individual susceptibility to develop PTSD-like symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Left hippocampal NAA levels might be a predictor of an increased susceptibility to develop PTSD after trauma.