Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is often preceded by symptomatic phases during which classification criteria are not fulfilled. The health burden of these "at-risk" stages is not well described. This study ...assessed health-related quality of life (HRQoL), function, fatigue and depression in newly presenting patients with clinically suspect arthralgia (CSA), unclassified arthritis (UA) or RA.
Cross-sectional analysis of baseline Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) was conducted in patients from the Birmingham Early Arthritis Cohort. HRQoL, function, depression and fatigue at presentation were assessed using EQ-5D, HAQ-DI, PHQ-9 and FACIT-F. PROMs were compared across CSA, UA and RA and with population averages from the HSE with descriptive statistics. Multivariate linear regression assessed associations between PROMs and clinical and sociodemographic variables.
Of 838 patients included in the analysis, 484 had RA, 200 had CSA and 154 had UA. Patients with RA reported worse outcomes for all PROMs than those with CSA or UA. However, "mean EQ-5D utilities were 0.65 (95%CI: 0.61 to 0.69) in CSA, 0.61 (0.56 to 0.66) in UA and 0.47 (0.44 to 0.50) in RA, which was lower than in general and older (≥ 65 years) background populations." In patients with CSA or UA, HRQoL was comparable to chronic conditions such as heart failure, severe COPD or mild angina. Higher BMI and older age (≥ 60 years) predicted worse depression (PHQ-9: -2.47 (-3.85 to -1.09), P < 0.001) and fatigue (FACIT-F: 5.05 (2.37 to 7.73), P < 0.001). Women were more likely to report worse function (HAQ-DI: 0.13 (0.03 to 0.21), P = 0.01) and fatigue (FACIT-F: -3.64 (-5.59 to -1.70), P < 0.001), and residents of more deprived areas experienced decreased function (HAQ-DI: 0.23 (0.10 to 0.36), P = 0.001), greater depression (PHQ-9: 1.89 (0.59 to 3.18), P = 0.004) and fatigue (FACIT-F: -2.60 (-5.11 to 0.09), P = 0.04). After adjustments for confounding factors, diagnostic category was not associated with PROMs, but disease activity and polypharmacy were associated with poorer performance across all PROMs.
Patient-reported outcomes were associated with disease activity and sociodemographic characteristics. Patients presenting with RA reported a higher health burden than those with CSA or UA, however HRQoL in the pre-RA groups was significantly lower than population averages.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Retrospective single-center, single-surgeon cohort study.
Our goal was to compare the 2-year clinical and radiological results of artificial disc replacement (ADR) and cage screw (CS) implants in ...patients with cervical degenerative disc disease (DDD).
Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with CS implants are an acceptable alternative to traditional cageplate construct due to perceived decreased complications of dysphagia. However, patients may experience adjacent segment disease because of increased motion and intradiscal pressure. ADR is an alternative to restore the physiological kinematics of the operated disc. Few studies directly compare ADR and CS construct for their efficacy.
Patients who received single-level ADR or CS between January 2008 and December 2018 were included. Data collected was preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively (6, 12, 24 months). Demographic information, surgical information, complications, follow-up surgery, and outcome ratings (Japanese Orthopaedic Association JOA, Neck Disability Index NDI, Visual Analog Scale VAS neck and arm, 36-item Short Form Health Survey SF-36, EuroQoL-5 Dimension EQ-5D) were gathered. The radiological assessment included motion segment height, adjacent disc height, lordosis, cervical lordosis, T1 slope, the sagittal vertical axis C2-7, and adjacent level ossification development (ALOD).
Fifty-eight patients were included (ADR: 37 and CS: 21). At 6 months, both groups' JOA, VAS, NDI, SF-36, and EQ-5D scores significantly improved, and the positive trends persisted at 2 years. Noted no significant difference in the enhancement of clinical scores except for the VAS arm (ADR: 5.95 vs. CS: 3.43, p =0.001). Radiological parameters were comparable except for the progression of ALOD of the subjacent disc (ADR: 29.7% vs. CS: 66.9%, p =0.02). No significant difference in adverse events or severe complications seen.
ADR and CS obtain good clinical results for symptomatic single-level cervical DDD. ADR demonstrated a significant advantage over CS in the improvement of VAS arm and reduced progression of ALOD of the adjacent lower disc. No statistically significant difference of dysphonia or dysphagia between the two groups were seen, attributed to their comparable zero profile.
Metastatic epidural spinal cord compression (MESCC) is a devastating complication of advanced cancer. A deep learning (DL) model for automated MESCC classification on MRI could aid earlier diagnosis ...and referral.
To develop a DL model for automated classification of MESCC on MRI.
Patients with known MESCC diagnosed on MRI between September 2007 and September 2017 were eligible. MRI studies with instrumentation, suboptimal image quality, and non-thoracic regions were excluded. Axial T2-weighted images were utilized. The internal dataset split was 82% and 18% for training/validation and test sets, respectively. External testing was also performed. Internal training/validation data were labeled using the Bilsky MESCC classification by a musculoskeletal radiologist (10-year experience) and a neuroradiologist (5-year experience). These labels were used to train a DL model utilizing a prototypical convolutional neural network. Internal and external test sets were labeled by the musculoskeletal radiologist as the reference standard. For assessment of DL model performance and interobserver variability, test sets were labeled independently by the neuroradiologist (5-year experience), a spine surgeon (5-year experience), and a radiation oncologist (11-year experience). Inter-rater agreement (Gwet's kappa) and sensitivity/specificity were calculated.
Overall, 215 MRI spine studies were analyzed 164 patients, mean age = 62 ± 12(SD) with 177 (82%) for training/validation and 38 (18%) for internal testing. For internal testing, the DL model and specialists all showed almost perfect agreement (kappas = 0.92-0.98, p < 0.001) for dichotomous Bilsky classification (low versus high grade) compared to the reference standard. Similar performance was seen for external testing on a set of 32 MRI spines with the DL model and specialists all showing almost perfect agreement (kappas = 0.94-0.95, p < 0.001) compared to the reference standard.
A DL model showed comparable agreement to a subspecialist radiologist and clinical specialists for the classification of malignant epidural spinal cord compression and could optimize earlier diagnosis and surgical referral.
Abstract
Objectives
The value of US-defined tenosynovitis in predicting the persistence of inflammatory arthritis is not well described. In particular, the predictive utility of US-defined ...tenosynovitis of larger tendons is yet to be reported. We assessed the value of US-defined tenosynovitis alongside US-defined synovitis and clinical and serological variables in predicting persistent arthritis in an inception cohort of DMARD-naïve patients with early arthritis.
Methods
One hundred and fifty DMARD-naïve patients with clinically apparent synovitis of one or more joints and a symptom duration of ≤3 months underwent baseline clinical, laboratory and US (of 19 bilateral joints and 16 bilateral tendon compartments) assessments. Outcomes were classified as persistent or resolving arthritis after 18 months’ follow-up. The predictive value of US-defined tenosynovitis for persistent arthritis was compared with those of US-defined synovitis, and clinical and serological variables.
Results
At 18 months, 99 patients (66%) had developed persistent arthritis and 51 patients (34%) had resolving disease. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that US-detected digit flexor tenosynovitis odds ratio (OR): 6.6, 95% CI: 2.0 , 22.1, P = 0.002 provided independent predictive data for persistence over and above the presence of US-detected joint synovitis and RF antibodies. In the RF/ACPA-negative subcohort, US-defined digit flexor tenosynovitis remained a significant predictive variable (OR: 4.7, 95% CI: 1.4, 15.8, P = 0.012), even after adjusting for US-defined joint synovitis.
Conclusion
US-defined tenosynovitis provided independent predictive data for the development of persistent arthritis. The predictive role of US-defined digit flexor tenosynovitis should be further assessed; investigators should consider including this tendon site as a candidate variable when designing imaging-based predictive algorithms for persistent inflammatory arthritis development.
Tophaceous gouty arthropathy of the lumbar spine Saripalli, Kundan; Baskar, Sangeetha
Clinical medicine (London, England),
December 2014, 2014-Dec, 2014-12-00, 20141201, Volume:
14, Issue:
6
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Gout, classically affecting the first metatarsal joints, knees, fingers and ears, is seldom thrown out as a differential when a patient complains of lower back pain. Symptoms presented by patients ...with spinal gout may be non-specific and varied; at times, the only clue being that the patient has a previous history of gout. Prompt treatment with anti-inflammatory medication once diagnosis is reached helps to alleviate pain and improves the prognosis of the disease. Therefore, it is vital for the treating physician to keep an open mind and consider spinal gout as a diagnosis once other sinister causes such as osteomyelitis have been ruled out. This greatly reduces the morbidity associated with late treatment of spinal gout.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Abstract
Background/Aims
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is often preceded by symptomatic phases during which classification criteria are not fulfilled. The health burden of these “at-risk” stages is not ...well described. This study assessed health-related quality of life (HRQoL), functioning, fatigue and depression in newly presenting patients with clinically suspect arthralgia (CSA), unclassified arthritis (UA) and RA.
Methods
Cross-sectional analysis of baseline Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) was conducted in 838 patients with CSA, UA or RA recruited to the Birmingham Early Arthritis Cohort. HRQoL, function, depression and fatigue at presentation were assessed using EQ-5D, HAQ-DI, PHQ-9 and FACIT-F, respectively. Descriptive statistics and multivariate linear regression were performed to assess associations between clinical/demographic variables and PROMs.
Results
Patients with RA at initial presentation had worse PROMs than those with CSA or UA. However, HRQoL was decreased in all groups. In patients with CSA/UA, HRQoL was comparable to data relating to chronic conditions such as heart failure, severe COPD or mild angina from the Health Survey for England (HSE). Associations between predictor variables and PROMs are summarised in Table 1. Increased functional disability was associated with female sex, older age, obesity, lower quintiles of social deprivation, increased disease activity and polypharmacy. HRQoL was associated with increased disease activity and polypharmacy. The severity of depression (PHQ-9) increased with older age, increasing BMI, living in areas with the lowest quintile of social deprivation, increased disease activity and polypharmacy. Fatigue (FACIT-F) was associated with female sex, increasing BMI, disease activity and polypharmacy. After adjusting for the demographic and clinical factors, the diagnosis assigned at baseline did not affect any of the studied PROMs, but disease activity and polypharmacy were strongly linked to poorer scores across all PROMs.
Conclusion
Patients with musculoskeletal symptoms who are at risk of RA present with a high health burden. Early intervention may be needed to improve quality of life from initial presentation.
Disclosure
B. Torlinska: Corporate appointments; BT is employed by Visible Analytics Ltd.. Grants/research support; BT receives funding from the NIHR. K. Raza: Consultancies; KR declares personal fees from Abbvie and Sanofi outside of the submitted work. Grants/research support; KR declares funding from Bristol Myers Squibb outside of the submitted work, KR is supported by the NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, the MRC Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research and the Research into Inflammatory Arthritis Centre Versus Arthritis, University of Birmingham, UK. A. Filer: Grants/research support; AF is supported by the NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, the MRC Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research and the Research into Inflammatory Arthritis Centre Versus Arthritis, University of Birmingham, UK, AF declares funding outside of the submitted work from Abbvie, Roche, Janssen, UCB, Nascient, Mestag, GSK. G. Jutley: None. I. Sahbudin: None. R. Singh: None. P. de Pablo: None. E. Rankin: None. B. Rhodes: None. N. Amft: None. E. Justice: None. C. McGrath: None. S. Baskar: None. J. Trickey: None. M. Calvert: Consultancies; MC has received personal fees outside of the submitted work from Astellas, Aparito Ltd., CIS Oncology, Takeda, Merck, Daiichi Sanko, Glaukos, GSK, and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. Grants/research support; MC is Director of the Birmingham Health Partners Centre for Regulatory Science and Innovation, Director of the Centre for Patient Reported Outcomes Research and is a NIHR Senior Investigator, MC receives funding from NIHR, UKRI, NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre, NIHR ARC West Midlands, UK Spine and Health Data Research at the University of Birmingham and University Hospitals Birmingham, UK, Innovate UK (part of UK Research and InnovatioRin), Macmillan Cancer Support, UCB Pharma, Janssen, GSK, and Gilead. M. Falahee: None.
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