Do radiographic joint damage and disease activity influence functional disability through different mechanisms? Direct and indirect effects of disease activity in established rheumatoid arthritis

Changes Over Time in the Lémann Index and the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Disability Index in a Prospective Cohort of Patients With Crohn's Disease

BACKGROUND

Crohn's disease (CD) is a progressive, destructive, and disabling disorder. Our study aimed to assess changes over time in the Lémann index (LI) and the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Disability Index (IBD-DI) in a cohort of CD patients.

METHODS

This was a single-center prospective cohort study of 130 consecutive CD patients with a follow-up of at least 4 years. The LI 1 and the IBD-DI 1 questionnaires were assessed in 2016 and again between September 2020 and October 2021 (LI 2 and IBD-DI 2).

RESULTS

Of the 130 patients with assessment of both LI 1 and IBD-DI 1, 61 had calculation of the LI 2 and 98 patients answered the IBD-DI 2 questionnaire, with a median time between the 2 evaluations of 4.2 years. The LI increased for 16 (26%), decreased for 26 (43%), and remained unchanged for 19 (31%) patients. The median LI did not change over time (9.6 vs 9.3; P = .14). Clinical disease activity was significantly associated with bowel damage progression. A high initial LI (>7.9) was not associated with CD progression (surgery, drug dose escalation, or change of biologic). The IBD-DI decreased for 59 (60.2%), increased for 37 (37.8%), and remained unchanged for 2 (2%) patients. The median IBD-DI decreased significantly over time (23.2 vs 21.4; P = .006). There was no correlation between the 2 indexes.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first prospective cohort study assessing changes over time in both the LI and the IBD-DI in CD patients. After 4 years, the LI appeared to be stable and the IBD-DI decreased, with no correlation between the 2 indexes.

Bone Loss and Radiographic Damage Profile in Rheumatoid Arthritis Moroccan Patients

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a known cause of joint destruction and systemic bone loss. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the bone damage and bone loss profiles of established RA patients.

Methods

We designed a cross-sectional study on a cohort of established RA patients. The bone evaluation was performed by obtaining standard X-ray images of hands and feet combined with bone mineral density (BMD) measurements. Radiographic joint damage was calculated by the modified total Sharp /van der Heijde score (mTSS). BMD was obtained by performing dual energy X-ray absorptiometry of the lumbar spine and femoral neck. Data on age, smoking, alcoholism, steroid prescription, body mass index (BMI), disease duration, disease activity, and functional disability were collected.

Results

A total of 93 RA patients were recruited. Their mean age was 51.59±12.38 years, with a mean disease duration of 12.07±9.19 years. A total of 36.6% of patients had osteoporosis, and the mean mTSS was 70.33±48.93. Both hip (P=0.0005) and lumbar BMD (P=0.0005) were correlated with mTSS. Backward regression analyses determined that bone damage was associated with high titers of rheumatoid factor, low lumbar BMD, and low BMI. General bone loss was associated with gender, steroid dose, steroid duration, menopause, and BMI.

Conclusions

Bone damage was associated with low BMI and axial bone loss in our RA population.

Validation of the adjusted multi-biomarker disease activity score as a prognostic test for radiographic progression in rheumatoid arthritis: a combined analysis of multiple studies

BACKGROUND

The multi-biomarker disease activity (MBDA) test measures 12 serum protein biomarkers to quantify disease activity in RA patients. A newer version of the MBDA score, adjusted for age, sex, and adiposity, has been validated in two cohorts (OPERA and BRASS) for predicting risk for radiographic progression. We now extend these findings with additional cohorts to further validate the adjusted MBDA score as a predictor of radiographic progression risk and compare its performance with that of other risk factors.

METHODS

Four cohorts were analyzed: the BRASS and Leiden registries and the OPERA and SWEFOT studies (total N = 953). Treatments included conventional DMARDs and anti-TNFs. Associations of radiographic progression (ΔTSS) per year with the adjusted MBDA score, seropositivity, and clinical measures were evaluated using linear and logistic regression. The adjusted MBDA score was (1) validated in Leiden and SWEFOT, (2) compared with other measures in all four cohorts, and (3) used to generate curves for predicting risk of radiographic progression.

RESULTS

Univariable and bivariable analyses validated the adjusted MBDA score and found it to be the strongest, independent predicator of radiographic progression (ΔTSS > 5) compared with seropositivity (rheumatoid factor and/or anti-CCP), baseline TSS, DAS28-CRP, CRP SJC, or CDAI. Neither DAS28-CRP, CDAI, SJC, nor CRP added significant information to the adjusted MBDA score as a predictor, and the frequency of radiographic progression agreed with the adjusted MBDA score when it was discordant with these measures. The rate of progression (ΔTSS > 5) increased from < 2% in the low (1-29) adjusted MBDA category to 16% in the high (45-100) category. A modeled risk curve indicated that risk increased continuously, exceeding 40% for the highest adjusted MBDA scores.

CONCLUSION

The adjusted MBDA score was validated as an RA disease activity measure that is prognostic for radiographic progression. The adjusted MBDA score was a stronger predictor of radiographic progression than conventional risk factors, including seropositivity, and its prognostic ability was not significantly improved by the addition of DAS28-CRP, CRP, SJC, or CDAI.

Contribution of the bone and cartilage/soft tissue components of the joint damage to the level of disability in rheumatoid arthritis patients: a longitudinal study

The study aims to analyze the association between the bone and cartilage/periarticular components of the radiographic joint damage and disability over the course of disease, in a cohort of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients from a day-to-day clinical practice. The secondary aim is to study the role of demographic and disease-related variables in this association. We performed a retrospective longitudinal study including 736 RA patients. Disability was assessed with the health assessment questionnaire (HAQ), and radiographic joint damage of hands and wrists with the Sharp van-der-Heijde score (total (SHS), erosion (ES), and narrowing/(sub)luxation (NSLS) components]. Generalized estimating equations models, adjusted by disease activity, demographic and disease-related variables, were used to test the relationship between SHS and medium-term (median value of the HAQs performed in the following year after each radiograph) and long-term (set of HAQ measures performed during follow-up, at least 1 year apart from the first x-ray) disability. Interaction terms between the SHS and demographic and disease-related variables were introduced in the models. To account for multiple testing, Bonferroni correction was applied. NSLS was independently associated with medium-term disability, even after Bonferroni correction. We observed significant and positive interactions between NSLS and age at x-ray, and with the ES. SHS showed no association with long-term disability. The cartilage/soft tissue component of the radiographic joint damage seems to exert a much more important role in medium-term disability than the erosive component. This association could be modulated by the age at the x-ray and by the magnitude of the erosive damage.

Importance of Measuring Hand and Foot Function Over the Disease Course in Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Eight-Year Follow-Up Study

OBJECTIVE

To assess function using the Signals of Functional Impairment (SOFI) instrument over 8 years, to study clinical variables associated with the change, and to study change over time of the SOFI items.

METHODS

In total, 1,223 patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from the Better Anti-Rheumatic Farmacotherapy (BARFOT) cohort (mean ± SD age 56.9 ± 15.4 years, 67% women) were included in the analysis. Data from baseline and from 1 and 8 years were studied. The SOFI instrument includes measures of range of motion in the hand, shoulder/arm, and lower extremity (range 0-44, best to worst). The effects of baseline variables (sociodemographic, disease activity, joint destruction, and function) on change in SOFI scores were studied by linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

During the first year, the improvement in mean ± SD SOFI scores was 2.7 ± 5.7 (P < 0.001). Worse scores in the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints and Health Assessment Questionnaire score at baseline were associated with this improvement (r² ≤ 0.11). During the next 7 years, the deterioration in SOFI scores was mean ± SD 1.5 ± 4.9 (P < 0.001). Based on change scores, we found that finger flexion, pincer grip, and toe-standing were the most important items to measure, explaining 58-61% of the total SOFI score, and these items were also associated with radiographic changes at the 8-year follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Function as assessed with SOFI scores improved during the first year in patients with early RA, but it deteriorated slowly thereafter. Impaired hand and foot function was associated with joint destruction at the 8-year follow-up. Measures of hand and foot function will complement self-reported and medical data, both in clinical work and in long-term research studies.

Predictive value of serum calprotectin (S100A8/A9) for clinical response after starting or tapering anti-TNF treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Objectives

Calprotectin (S100A8/A9) has been correlated with disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive value of serum calprotectin for clinical response after starting and tapering anti-tumour necrosis factor treatment in RA.

Methods

Serum samples and clinical outcomes were derived from two longitudinal RA studies.

At baseline (starting or tapering of adalimumab or etanercept), calprotectin levels were determined by ELISA. In the Biologic Individual Optimised Treatment Outcome Prediction (BIO-TOP) study, treatment effect was assessed after 6 months using the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) response criteria. In the Dose Reduction Strategies of Subcutaneous TNF Inhibitors (DRESS) study, patients were classified at 18 months as being successfully dose reduced, discontinued or not able to reduce the dose. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) were generated to evaluate the predictive value of calprotectin and logistic prediction models were created to assess its added value.

Results

In the BIO-TOP study, calprotectin levels were higher in responders (n=50: 985 ng/mL (p25–p75: 558–1417)) compared with non-responders (n=75: 645 ng/mL (p25–p75: 415–973), p=0.04).

AUC for predicting EULAR good response was 0.61 (95% CI 0.50 to 0.71). The prediction model with calprotectin (AUC 0.77, 95% CI 0.68 to 0.85) performed similarly to the baseline model (AUC 0.74, 95% CI 0.65 to 0.82, p=0.29). In the DRESS study, calprotectin levels were similar between the three groups (n=47; n=19; n=36) and calprotectin was not predictive for clinical response after tapering.

Conclusions

Serum calprotectin has some predictive value for clinical response after starting anti-TNF treatment, although it has no added value to other clinical factors. In patients with low disease activity, serum calprotectin is not predictive for clinical response after tapering anti-TNF treatment.

Trial registration number

NTR4647 (BIO-TOP study) and NTR3216 (DRESS study); Pre-results.

Baseline patient reported outcomes are more consistent predictors of long-term functional disability than laboratory, imaging or joint count data in patients with early inflammatory arthritis: A systematic review

Objective

To assess baseline predictors of long-term functional disability in patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA).

Methods

We conducted a systematic review of the literature from 1990 to 2017 using MEDLINE and EMBASE. Studies were included if (i) they were prospective observational studies, (ii) all patients had IA with symptom duration ≤2 years at baseline, (iii) follow-up was at least 5 years, and (iv) baseline predictors of HAQ score at long-term follow-up (i.e., ≥5 years following baseline) were assessed. Information on the included studies and estimates of the association between baseline variables and long-term HAQ scores were extracted from the full manuscripts.

Results

Of 1037 abstracts identified by the search strategy, 37 met the inclusion/exclusion criteria and were included in the review. Older age at baseline and female gender were reported to be associated with higher long-term HAQ scores in the majority of studies assessing these relationships, as were higher baseline HAQ and greater pain scores (total patients included in analyses reporting significant associations/total number of patients analysed: age 9.8k/10.7k (91.6%); gender 9.9k/11.3k (87.4%); HAQ 4.0k/4.0k (99.0%); pain 2.8k/2.9k (93.6%)). Tender joint count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and DAS28 were also reported to predict long-term HAQ score; other disease activity measures were less consistent (tender joints 2.1k/2.5k (84.5%); erythrocyte sedimentation rate 1.6k/2.2k (72.3%); DAS28 888/1.1k (79.2%); swollen joints 684/2.6k (26.6%); C-reactive protein 279/510 (54.7%)). Rheumatoid factor (RF) and erosions were not useful predictors (RF 546/4.6k (11.9%); erosions 191/2.7k (7.0%)), whereas the results for anti-citrullinated protein antibody positivity were equivocal (ACPA 2.0k/3.8k (52.9%)).

Conclusions

Baseline age, gender, HAQ and pain scores are associated with long-term disability and knowledge of these may aid the assessment of prognosis.

Patients with Early Rheumatoid Arthritis in the 2000s Have Equal Disability and Pain Despite Less Disease Activity Compared with the 1990s: Data from the BARFOT Study over 8 Years

Objective.

To compare outcomes over the first 8 years in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) recruited in the 1990s and the 2000s, with a special focus on functional disability and its possible predictors.

Methods.

Data were acquired from 1938 patients with early RA (American College of Rheumatology 1987 criteria) included in the BARFOT study, who had completed the 8-year followup. The patients were divided into 2 cohorts: cohort 1 (n = 928, 68% women) included from 1992 to 1999 and cohort 2 (n = 1010, 70% women) included from 2000 to 2006. Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28), visual analog scale pain, and radiographs of hands and feet scored by the van der Heijde modified Sharp method were assessed during the 8 years. Longitudinal data analyses were performed using a generalized linear model.

Results.

Despite more active medical treatment during the 2000s, the courses of HAQ and pain showed no difference between the cohorts during followup, in either women or in men, with significantly higher levels in women compared with men. However, as expected, disease activity decreased more over time in cohort 2 compared with cohort 1, for both sexes, and women in cohort 2 had less radiographic progression compared with cohort 1. HAQ was associated with DAS28, pain, radiological scores, and sex in both cohorts, and in cohort 2 also with age and smoking.

Conclusion.

Patients included in the 2000s had lower disease activity, but not less activity limitation and pain over 8 years of followup despite more active treatment. Pain, aging, and smoking might explain why patients included in the 2000s still had the same disability levels as those included in the 1990s.