Associations between syndesmophytes and facet joint ankylosis in radiographic axial spondyloarthritis patients on low-dose CT over 2 years.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

In radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (r-axSpA), spinal damage manifests as syndesmophytes and facet joint ankylosis (FJA). We evaluated whether the presence of one lesion increased the risk of the other lesion.

Methods

Patients with r-axSpA underwent low-dose CT (ldCT) and MRI of the whole spine at baseline and 2 years. On ldCT, vertebrae were scored for presence and size of syndesmophytes; facet joints were assessed for ankylosis. MR images were assessed for inflammation. Two hypotheses were tested: (i) presence of FJA is associated with new syndesmophyte(s) on the same vertebral unit (VU) 2 years later, and (ii) presence of bridging syndesmophyte(s) is associated with new FJA on the same VU 2 years later. Two generalized estimating equations models were teste

SUBMITTER: Stal R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9707102 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature