Dataset Information

Septic complications involving hand and wrist in patients with pre-existing rheumatoid arthritis: The role of magnetic resonance imaging and sonography.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Septic arthritis (SA), frequently involving hand and wrist, is common in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients due to immunomediated etiology of RA and immunosuppressive drug use. Clinical and laboratory features might not be useful to differentiate between RA relapse and superimposed SA. The role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been described in several studies. Our aim is to evaluate the role of ultrasonography (US).

Material and methods

In the last 4 years 31 MRI of hand and wrist has been performed in the suspect of SA complicating RA. A 1.5 T unit (Siemens Symphony, Erlangen, Germany) with standardized protocol, involving the administration of contrast medium, was used. Also US with power Doppler evaluation was performed. A Philips IU22 US scanner was used.

Results

Eleven points (according to Graif's study) were analyzed for every MRI and US. At MRI joint effusion (37.5% of RA relapse vs 100% superimposed SA) and soft tissue edema (25% vs 100%) were indicative of SA. At US joint effusion (31.3% of RA relapse vs 73.3% superimposed SA) and soft tissue edema (12.5% vs 60%) were indicative of SA.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that joint effusion and soft tissue edema are markers suggestive for superimposed SA and that MRI is more sensitive in their evaluation. Although US is less sensitive than MRI, the former is important in guiding invasive procedure and evaluating patients that cannot undergo MRI.

SUBMITTER: Bortolotto C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3558112 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Septic complications involving hand and wrist in patients with pre-existing rheumatoid arthritis: The role of magnetic resonance imaging and sonography.

Bortolotto C C Gregoli B B Coscia D R DR Draghi F F

Journal of ultrasound 20120407 2

<h4>Purpose</h4>Septic arthritis (SA), frequently involving hand and wrist, is common in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients due to immunomediated etiology of RA and immunosuppressive drug use. Clinical and laboratory features might not be useful to differentiate between RA relapse and superimposed SA. The role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been described in several studies. Our aim is to evaluate the role of ultrasonography (US).<h4>Material and methods</h4>In the last 4 years 31 MRI o ...[more]

PMID: 23396420

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Project description:PurposeTreatment of severely destroyed rheumatoid wrists with total wrist arthroplasty or total wrist arthrodesis relies on patient and surgeon preferences rather than rigorous prospective outcomes data. The purpose of this study is to develop a decision analytic model of arthroplasty and arthrodesis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using utility values obtained from a random sample of hand surgeons.MethodsA utility survey using a time trade-off design was administered to 175 members of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Based on the results of the survey, the utility values that surgeons assign to health states associated with arthroplasty and arthrodesis and their complications were calculated. By combining utility values with complication rates in the published literature, we developed a decision tree to calculate the expected quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) for each procedure compared to living with a painful RA wrist.ResultsBased on surgeon preferences, living for 30 years with a painful, poorly functioning RA wrist (utility = 0.54) is associated with 16.2 QALYs. Treatment with arthroplasty (utility = 0.85) is associated with 25.5 QALYs, a gain of 9.3 QALYs over nonsurgical management. Arthrodesis (utility = 0.82) is associated with 24.6 QALYs, a gain of 8.4 QALYs over nonsurgical management. Arthroplasty is associated with a small incremental increase in QALYs (0.9) compared to arthrodesis.ConclusionsBased on utility scores, hand surgeons feel that living with a painful, poorly functioning RA wrist for 30 years is worth approximately half as many years with a painless, well-functioning wrist. The outcomes for arthroplasty and arthrodesis are valued more than nonsurgical management. On the basis of its higher expected gain in QALYs, arthroplasty should be the preferred treatment. The minimal increase in utility for arthroplasty over arthrodesis suggests however, that surgeons do not view arthroplasty as superior to arthrodesis.Type of study/level of evidenceEconomic and decision analysis IV.

Project description:ObjectiveRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease leading to joint destruction. Although many studies have addressed factors potentially correlated with the speed of joint destruction, less attention has been paid to the distribution of joint destruction in patients with RA. In this study, destruction of the hand bones in patients with RA was classified into 2 anatomic subgroups, the fingers and the non-fingers, with the aim of analyzing which factors are associated with destruction of the finger joints.MethodsA total of 1,215 Japanese patients with RA were recruited from 2 different populations. The degree of joint destruction was assessed using the total modified Sharp/van der Heijde score (SHS) of radiographic joint damage. The SHS score of joint damage in the finger joints was used as the dependent variable, and the SHS score in the non-finger joints was used as a covariate. Age, sex, disease duration, smoking, C-reactive protein level, treatment for RA, and positivity for and levels of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies and rheumatoid factor (RF) were evaluated as candidate correlates. Overall effect sizes were assessed in a meta-analysis. In addition, associations observed in the Japanese patients were compared to those in a cohort of 157 Dutch RA patients in the BeSt study (a randomized, controlled trial involving 4 different strictly specified treatment strategies for early RA).ResultsNot surprisingly, disease duration in Japanese patients with RA was associated with the finger SHS score (P ≤ 0.00037). Both positivity for and levels of RF showed significant associations with the finger SHS score after adjustment for covariates (P = 0.0022 and P = 8.1 × 10(-7) , respectively). These associations were also true in relation to the time-averaged finger SHS score. An association between RF positivity and the finger SHS score was also observed in Dutch patients with RA in the BeSt study (P = 0.049).ConclusionPositivity for and levels of RF are associated with finger joint destruction independent of non-finger joint destruction and other covariates. Our findings suggest that there are different mechanisms of joint destruction operating in the finger joints of patients with RA.

Dataset Information

Septic complications involving hand and wrist in patients with pre-existing rheumatoid arthritis: The role of magnetic resonance imaging and sonography.

Purpose

Material and methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Septic complications involving hand and wrist in patients with pre-existing rheumatoid arthritis: The role of magnetic resonance imaging and sonography.

Similar Datasets

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