Double Contour Sign Research Articles

The Role of Ultrasound in Evaluating the Effect of Urate-lowering Drugs in Gout Patients.

Gout is one of the most common inflammatory arthritis, where identification of MSU crystals in synovial fluid is a widely used diagnostic measure. Ultrasonography has a great sensitivity in detecting signs of MSU deposits, such as tophi and double contour (DC), as mentioned in the latest gout criteria, allowing early clinical diagnosis and therapy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in ultrasound of gout patients' knee and 1st metatarsophalangeal joint (MTP1) after initiation of urate-lowering therapy (ULT) drugs in the six-month period. Forty-three patients, fulfilling the ACR/EULAR 2015 criteria of gout with a score of >8, were enrolled; they were in between attacks and not on ULT for the last 6 months, or SUA concentration (SUA) of >6.0 mg/dL. Full examination, evaluation of joints pain by visual analog scale (VAS), ultrasonography (US) for tophus and DC at the knee, and MTP1 were performed at baseline and at 3 and 6 months (M3, M6) after starting ULT. After 6 months of treatment, patients reached the target SUA level showed higher disappearance of DC sign (p<0.05) and a decrease in tophus size (p<0.05). The percentage of tophus size at 6th month was 26.4% and 3% for DC sign disappearance, which was more at MTP1. Ultrasound examination in screening for gout tophi or DC sign before starting ULT and during follow-up is important and complements clinical examination.

In patients with acute mono/oligoarthritis, a targeted ultrasound scanning protocol shows great accuracy for the diagnosis of gout and CPPD.

To determine an US scanning protocol with the best accuracy for the diagnosis of gout and CPPD in patients with acute mono/oligo-arthritis of unknown origin. Patients with acute mono/oligo-arthritis in whom a joint aspiration at the most clinically involved joint (target joint) was requested were consecutively enrolled. US was performed in each patient before the arthrocentesis. The accuracy of different US findings and scanning protocols for the diagnosis of gout and CPPD was calculated. A total of 161 subjects were included (32 gout patients, 30 CPPD patients and 99 disease-controls). US findings had a high specificity for gout (0.92-0.96) and CPPD (0.90-0.97), while the sensitivity ranged from 0.73 to 0.85 in gout (double contour sign and tophi, respectively) and from 0.60 to 0.90 in CPPD (hyaline and fibrocartilage deposits, respectively). The US assessment of two joints bilaterally (gout: knees, MTP1 joints; CPPD: knees, wrists) plus the target joint had an excellent diagnostic sensitivity (gout: 0.91, CPPD: 0.93) and specificity (gout: 0.91, CPPD: 0.89). This targeted US scanning protocol yielded to higher diagnostic accuracy compared with the US evaluation of the target joint [gout area under the curve (AUC) 0.91 vs 0.84, P = 0.03; CPPD AUC 0.93 vs 0.84, P = 0.04] unless the target joint was the knee or the MTP1 joint in gout and the knee or the wrist in CPPD. A targeted US scanning protocol of two joints bilaterally plus the target joint showed an excellent accuracy (>90%) for the diagnosis of crystal arthritis in patients with acute mono/oligoarthritis.

Update of the current role of ultrasound in asymptomatic hyperuricemia. A systematic literature review.

Ultrasound (US) is a recognized imaging modality for the assessment of gout. Recently it is being explored for its potential role in the evaluation of subjects with asymptomatic hyperuricemia (AH). Preliminary reports demonstrated the presence of monosodium urate (MSU)-crystal deposits including aggregates, double contour sign and/or tophi in both intra-articular and periarticular tissues of AH individuals. Although these results are exciting, the value and potential application of US in AH remain to be clearly delineated. In this systematic literature review, we aim to summarise the recent publications regarding the role of US in the assessment of AH. We analyzed possible application of US in the daily clinical practice and its future clinical and research potential in the evaluation of AH individuals.

Retrospective longitudinal assessment of ultrasound gout lesions using the OMERACT semi-quantitative scoring system.

The objectives of this study were (i) to evaluate the responsiveness of gout-specific US lesions representing urate deposition in patients receiving treat-to-target urate-lowering therapy using a binary and the OMERACT-defined semi-quantitative scoring systems; (ii) to determine the most responsive US measure for urate deposition and the optimal joint/tendon set for monitoring this. US (28 joints, 14 tendons) was performed in microscopically verified gout patients initiating/increasing urate-lowering therapy and repeated after 6 and 12 months. Static images/videos of pathologies were stored and scored binarily and semi-quantitatively for tophus, double contour sign (DC) and aggregates.Lesion scores were calculated at patient level, as were combined crystal sum scores. Responsiveness of lesions-scored binarily and semi-quantitatively-was calculated at both patient and joint/tendon levels. Sixty-three patients underwent longitudinal evaluation. The static images/videos assessed retrospectively showed statistically significant decreases in tophus and DC, when scored binarily and semi-quantitatively, whereas aggregates were almost unchanged during follow-up. The responsiveness of the semi-quantitative tophus and DC sum scores were markedly higher than when using binary scoring. The most responsive measure for urate deposition was a combined semi-quantitative tophus-DC-sum score. A feasible joint/tendon set for monitoring included knee and first-second MTP joints and peroneus and distal patella tendons (all bilateral), representing the most prevalent and responsive sites. The OMERACT consensus-based semi-quantitative US gout scoring system showed longitudinal validity with both tophus and DC being highly responsive to treatment when assessed in static images/videos. A responsive US measure for urate deposition and a feasible joint/tendon set for monitoring were proposed and may prove valuable in future longitudinal studies.

The mounting importance of knee sonographic signs in 425 gouty arthritis patients: A multi-centre study

Aim of the workto study the ultrasonographic (US) features of the knee joints in a cohort of confirmed and high risk gouty arthritis patients, to assess their value in diagnosis and their relation to clinical characteristics. Patients and methodsThe multi-centre study included 425 patients with gouty arthritis presenting to one of 12 specialized rheumatology centers across the country. Participants had either mono- or oligo-arthritis with effusion of the knee or the first metatarsophalangeal joint. ResultsThe mean age of the patients was 54.2 ± 10.3 years and disease duration 4.4 ± 4.3 years. They were 267 males and 158 females (M:F 1.7:1). 53.4% were from urban areas and 46.6% rural. 85.9% of the patients had oligoarthritis (monoarthritis in 16.1%). Knees were involved in 82.1% (68.1% unilateral and 14% bilateral). The diagnosis of gouty arthritis was confirmed in 86.6% of cases. Males had a higher number of joints involved (3.5 ± 3.3 vs 2.8 ± 1.3; p = 0.006) and imaging evidence of gout-related damage (0.56 ± 1.4 vs 0.07 ± 0.54; p < 0.0001). US features were comparable except for right knee erosion (28.7% vs 40.8%; p = 0.01) and left knee power Doppler signals (24% vs 36%; p = 0.046) were more frequent in females. The total criteria score and the double contour sign (DCS) of the right medial femoral condyle significantly correlated with SUA (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.015 respectively). On regression, only the total criteria score remained significant (β 0.21, p < 0.0001). ConclusionUS features of the knees in confirmed or suspected gouty arthritis patients, with special consideration of the DCS, represent a potentially imperative window to encompass the disease spectrum.

Ultrasound findings of calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease at metacarpophalangeal joints.

To explore the spectrum of articular and peri-articular ultrasound (US) findings at metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints in calcium pyrophosphate (CPP) deposition disease (CPPD). Consecutive CPPD patients (chronic CPP crystal inflammatory arthritis or OA with CPPD), and age- and sex-matched controls with RA were prospectively enrolled. Patients underwent bilateral US examination of MCP joints. CPP deposits, synovial inflammation, osteophytes, cartilage damage and bone erosions were recorded. Sixty CPPD patients (33, 55.0% with OA with CPPD and 27, 45.0% with chronic CPP crystal inflammatory arthritis) and 40 RA patients were enrolled. CPP deposits were detected in 24 (40.0%) CPPD patients and in 3 (7.5%) RA patients (P<0.01). In CPPD patients, different types of CPP deposits were identified at MCP joints: 17 (28.3%) patients had dorsal capsuloligamentous deposits, 14 (23.3%) intra-cartilaginous deposits, 13 (21.7%) lateral capsuloligamentous deposits, 12 (20.0%) intra-articular deposits, eight (13.3%) double contour sign and five (8.3%) flexor digitorum tendons' deposits. CPPD patients with chronic CPP crystal inflammatory arthritis showed more US findings indicating synovial inflammation and CPP deposits than those with OA with CPPD. Conversely, a higher prevalence of US features indicating structural damage was noted in this latter phenotype. CPP deposits and bone erosions were the US findings with the highest value for diagnosing chronic CPP crystal inflammatory arthritis and RA, respectively. This study provides pictorial evidence of the broad spectrum of US findings indicating CPP deposits at MCP joints in CPPD. Furthermore, we reported different US patterns in different CPPD phenotypes.

Severe tophaceous gout affecting joints and skin

A 40-year-old woman was admitted for polyarthralgia and recurrent swelling over 7 years. She had noted multiple white hard swelling, developed within a year. There was no family history of gout. She had been taking oral prednisone (20 mg/day) as self-medication for over a year. Physical examination revealed multiple tophi on hands, feet, elbows, and knees. Some were on the skin, ulcerated, and discharged white chalky material (A,B,C,D). Laboratory findings showed elevated serum uric acid (124 mg/l) with normal renal function. Radiological examination of both hands and feet showed soft-tissue swelling with minor destructions. Musculoskeletal ultrasound found both a snowstorm and double contour signs. The patient was treated with allopurinol gradually increased up to 300 mg/day associated with colchicine at 1 mg/day and progressive reduction of corticosteroids. After 1 month of convenient diet and regular treatment, serum uric acid level decreased to 60 mg/l. Tophi dissolution is a slow process that will require continuous long-term therapy.

Diagnostic value of different imaging features for patients with suspected gout: A network meta-analysis

Microscopic identification of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals is the gold standard for gout diagnosis. However, joint aspiration is not always practical, and imaging is increasingly used in clinical practice. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of imaging features for gout compared with microscopy, using network meta-analysis methodology. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed and Cochrane databases were searched for studies reporting on the use of imaging modalities to diagnose gout in patients with an unclear diagnosis or suspected gout, which was later confirmed by microscopy. A combination of direct and indirect comparisons were performed by network meta-analysis to evaluate the combined odds ratios for sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. To assist interpretation, the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) scores were calculated to provide a ranking of the imaging features. Fifteen eligible studies were included. Compared to the gold standard microscopic identification of MSU crystals, dual energy computed tomography (DECT) MSU crystal deposition and ultrasound double contour had greater sensitivity than ultrasound tophus. DECT, ultrasound double contour sign and ultrasound tophus all had greater specificity than ultrasound aggregates. The SUCRA scores ranked DECT as highest for overall accuracy, followed by ultrasound double contour, aggregates, and tophus, while ultrasound snowstorm was ranked the lowest. However, there were no significant differences in the odds ratios for overall accuracy between these imaging features. DECT and ultrasound are both useful modalities for the detection of imaging features of MSU crystal deposition, and have a similar overall diagnostic accuracy for gout diagnoses.

Quantitative assessment of crystal dissolution in gout during urate-lowering therapy with computer-aided MicroPure imaging: a cohort study

BackgroundTo evaluate whether MicroPure imaging, an ultrasound (US) image-processing technique with computer-aided analysis, can quantitatively detect crystal dissolution during urate-lowering therapy (ULT) in gout.MethodsThis was a prospective study of gout patients requiring ULT. The first metatarsophalangeal joints were examined using US and MicroPure before and after 3 months of ULT. Elementary lesions of gout, including the double contour sign (DCS), aggregates, tophi, erosion, and other US features were recorded at baseline and 3 months. MicroPure imaging features were automatically calculated by a self-developed software. Patients were divided into goal-achieved and goal-not-achieved groups according to their urate levels at 3 months. The US and MicroPure imaging features of the two groups were analyzed at baseline and 3 months.ResultsA total of 55 consecutive patients were enrolled (25: goal-achieved group; 30: goal-not-achieved group). US findings demonstrated that the power Doppler signal grade decreased at 3 months, regardless of the group (both P<0.05). From baseline to 3 months, tophi size and the DCS reduced in the goal-achieved group (both P<0.05), while the US aggregate features showed no difference (P=0.250). However, on the MicroPure imaging, the number and density of aggregates at 3 months decreased in the goal-achieved group (both P<0.05). There were no significant changes at 3 months in any of the MicroPure imaging features in the goal-not-achieved group (all P>0.05).ConclusionsIn comparison with B-mode US, computer-aided MicroPure imaging can sensitively and quantitatively detect aggregate dissolution during effective ULT after only 3 months of treatment.

Differential Diagnosis of Acute and Chronic Gouty Arthritis by Multijoint Ultrasound

To investigate whether multi-joint ultrasound (US) findings in patients with gouty arthritis could be used to distinguish between acute and chronic stages, we performed a retrospective study with 129 enrolled patients from the Rheumatology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College from September 1, 2018 to June 12, 2019. Patients with acute or non-acute gout were categorized using clinical data, and US imaging findings of the knees, ankles and first metatarsophalangeal joints were analyzed and compared between groups. Notably, we found that the most prevalent sign detected by US was the hyperechoic spot in the synovium, followed by arthrosynovitis, aggregates, double contour signs and tophi; meanwhile, bone erosions were the least common. Additionally, synovitis was more frequently detected in the acute joints of gouty arthritis (49%) compared with the non-acute joints (35%), whereas grade 1 or 2 blood flow classifications (97%), tophi and bone lesions were more often seen in the latter. Overall, our data suggest that multi-joint US scanning might be used to evaluate disease severity and discriminate between stages of gouty arthritis.

How to Differentiate Gout, Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition Disease, and Osteoarthritis Using Just Four Clinical Parameters.

Clinical differentiation between gout, osteoarthritis (OA), and calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD) remains a hurdle in daily practice without imaging or arthrocentesis. We performed a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with gout, CPPD, and OA at a tertiary rheumatology center. A total of 277 patients were enrolled, with 164 suffering from gout, 76 from CPPD, and 37 from OA. We used ANOVA and conditional inference tree analysis (Ctrees) to find associations between clinical, laboratory, and imaging data and gout, OA, and CPPD. The sonographic double contour sign was unable to differentiate gout from CPPD. Ctrees were able to exclude OA and CPPD as possible differentials based on elevated uric acid, C-reactive protein (CRP), presence of arterial hypertension, and sex, diagnosing gout with a sensitivity and specificity of 95.1% and 41.6%, respectively. Elevated CRP was observed using simple linear regressions in patients with type II diabetes, higher cumulative joint scores, increased number of affected joints, as well as elevated uric acid, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and leukocyte count. Ctrees were able to differentiate gout, OA, and CPPD based on just four characteristics. Inflammatory response correlated with type II diabetes, more or larger joint involvement, and elevated uric acid levels.

Images in Primary Care Medicine: Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Gout.

Gout is the most common crystal arthropathy and is frequently diagnosed and managed by primary care physicians. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a valuable tool to aid in the diagnosis of gout via the identification of the double contour sign, aggregates of crystals, tophi, and erosions. In addition, POCUS can aid in the management of gout by recognizing early signs of gout, monitoring the effectiveness of urate-lowering therapy, and guiding aspiration and corticosteroid injection.

Performance of Ultrasound in the Clinical Evaluation of Gout and Hyperuricemia.

Objective To evaluate monosodium urate (MSU) crystal deposition and related lesions in the joints of patients with gout and hyperuricemia (HUA) using ultrasound. To explore the association between ultrasound findings and clinical features in gout and HUA. Methods A total of 202 patients with gout and 43 asymptomatic patients with HUA were included. The clinical data and ultrasonic assessment results were collected and statistically analyzed. Results Deposition of MSU crystals was found in 25.58% (11/43) of patients with asymptomatic HUA and 76.24% (154/202) of patients with gout. Of the 1,082 joints from patients with gout examined, 33.09% (358/1082) displayed MSU crystal deposition. In the joints with MSU crystal deposition, 77.37% (277/358) had a history of attacks. Among the joints of gouty arthritis, double contour sign (DCS), hyperechoic aggregate (HAG), and tophi were found in 32.65% (159/487), 7.80% (38/487), and 24.64% (120/487) of the joints, respectively. DCS and tophi, but not HAG, increasingly appeared with the extension of gout duration. In patients with more than 15 years of gout history, DCS, Tophi, and HAG were found in 48.18%, 40.00%, and 6.36% of US assessed joints, respectively. In patients with gout, synovial lesion and bone erosion were found in 17.74% (192/1082) and 7.58% (82/1082) of joints, respectively. The synovial lesion was related to HAG, while bone erosion was related to tophi and DCS. Nephrolithiasis was detected in 20.30% (41/202) of patients with gout and 4.65% (2/43) of HUA patients, indicating that nephrolithiasis occurred in more patients with gout than in patients with HUA. Conclusion HAG is an early performance of MSU crystal deposition in joints of gout and HUA. Both DCS and tophi are risk factors for bone erosion. Early urate-lowering therapy (ULT) should be considered in patients with gout, DCS, or tophi.

Ultrasound Evaluation of Three Outcome Domains in the Follow-up of Urate-Lowering Therapy in Gout: An Observational Study

This prospective study was aimed at observing the changes in three ultrasound (US) outcome domains (urate deposition, joint inflammation and bone erosion) in gout patients within the 1 y on urate-lowering therapy. The elementary lesions, including tophus, double-contour (DC) sign, aggregates, synovitis and bone erosion of the bilateral knee, ankle and first metatarsophalangeal joints, were evaluated repeatedly by US before and after 3, 6 and 12 mo of treatment, and the effective rates of clearance of tophus, DC sign and aggregates in different time groups were compared. A Global OMERACT–EULAR Synovitis Score (GLOESS) was calculated for these three paired joints to observe the inflammation. Bone erosion was also scored. The correlation between serum uric acid levels and tophus size changes was analyzed. Our results indicated that the decrease in serum uric acid levels was not completely parallel to the decrease in tophus size. For tophus, there was no significant difference in the clearance rate between different time groups (χ2 = 1.76, p = 0.392), while for DC sign and aggregates, there were significant differences (χ2 = 21.48, p < 0.001, χ2 = 7.75, p = 0.018). Meanwhile, GLOESS was significantly lower after 6 mo of therapy (χ2 = 32.316, p < 0.001). Additionally, bone erosion had not improved after 1 y of treatment (Z = –1.633, p = 0.102). Thus, US is crucial for assessing response to urate-lowering therapy in gout.

Musculoskeletal ultrasound features-based scoring system can evaluate the severity of gout and asymptomatic hyperuricaemia.

Objectives:To develop a tool which can evaluate the severity of the joint injury in individuals with gout and asymptomatic hyperuricaemia.Methods:This retrospective study included 616 male patients: 245 with asymptomatic hyperuricaemia and 371 with intercritical gout. All patients underwent ultrasonography of the knee, ankle and first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints. Ultrasound features that were significantly different between groups were entered into a binary logistic regression analysis to identify discriminative factors. The ultrasound signs were scored based on their odds ratios, which were then used to evaluate the severity of gout and asymptomatic hyperuricaemia. The performance of the ultrasound score was validated in an additional population including 163 patients with asymptomatic hyperuricaemia and 196 patients with gout.Results:Ultrasound signs were scored as follows: knee joint: synovial effusion, 2 points, tophus, 5 points; ankle joint: synovial effusion, 2 points, synovial hypertrophy, 5 points, tophus, 3 points, bone erosion, 7 points; and first MTP joint: double contour sign, 2 points, synovial hypertrophy, 3 points, tophus, 9 points, bone erosion, 4 points. The maximum possible total score was 42. The optimal cut-off score for gout was 6.5. The sensitivity, specificity and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were 86.9%, 75.2% and 0.878, respectively. The patients were stratified according to their ultrasound score (range 0–42). The prevalence of intercritical gout, tophi, and bone erosion increased with the increase of the score. In the validation population, 83.20% of 193 patients with gout had ultrasound scores above 6.5; 76.10% of 163 patients with asymptomatic hyperuricaemia had ultrasound scores under 6.5.Conclusion:The scoring system based on the differential ultrasound signs can effectively evaluate the severity of joint injury in individuals with gout and asymptomatic hyperuricaemia.

Diagnostic Performance of Dual-energy CT Versus Ultrasonography in Gout: A Meta-analysis

Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT), along with ultrasound (US), has been increasingly utilized for the diagnosis of gout because of its noninvasive advantages. However, the superiority of DECT over US remains controversial. This meta-analysis was performed to investigate whether DECT is superior to US in the diagnosis of gout. A comprehensive search of PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases was conducted for potentially eligible articles. Studies that evaluated the utility of DECT or US for gout diagnosis were qualified. Two distinctive ultrasonographic features of gout, namely, the double contour sign and the presence of tophus, were also assessed. The methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 criteria. Besides, the subgroup analyses of early disease duration (≤ 2 years) was also performed. Twenty-eight studies were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of DECT were 0.89 (0.80-0.94) and 0.91 (0.88-0.94), respectively. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of US were 0.70 (0.58-0.79) and 0.95 (0.87-0.98), respectively, for double contour sign; 0.57 (0.38-0.74) and 0.99 (0.88-1.00), respectively, for tophus; and 0.84 (0.73-0.91) and 0.84 (0.78-0.89), respectively, for overall consideration of US signs. At the early disease duration (≤ 2 years), the pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.75 (0.60-0.86) and 0.85 (0.75-0.91), respectively, for DECT; 0.93 (0.72-0.99) and 0.80 (0.71-0.86), respectively, for overall consideration of US signs. DECT and US showed promising accuracy for gout diagnosis. DECT has higher sensitivity, specificity, and AUC than overall consideration of US signs and thus has a better diagnostic ability in diagnosing gout. Moreover, the diagnostic sensitivity of DECT is lower than that of overall consideration of US signs at less than 2 years' disease duration.

Correlation between Ultrasound Findings of Uric Acid Precipitate in MTP I and Acute Gout Flare in Gouty Arthritis

Acute gout flare is the most common manifestation of gouty arthritis that intermittently occurs with severe pain in the joints due to interactions between monosodium urate crystals (MSU) and the surrounding tissues. The most common predilection is the metatarsophalangeal joint (the 1st MTP). Ultrasound examination is a modality that can be used to visualize MSU crystal precipitates in and around joints. This study aimed to determine the correlation between the findings of the MSU crystal precipitate on the 1st MTP using ultrasound with the occurrence of acute gout flare in gout patients. This study was an analytical observational study with a cross-sectional method. The samples were 41 patients with a history of previous acute flares and in the intercritical phase when participating in the study. Examinations of ultrasound on the 1st MTP and random serum uric acid level were performed. Evaluations were carried out on both of the 1st MTPs to assess the shape of the MSU crystalline precipitate, namely Double Contour Sign (DCS), aggregate, and tophus. Each sample was evaluated within five days to assess the presence or absence of an acute flare. The diagnostic tests used were the Chi-Square Test and the Fischer Exact Test with a significance value of p &lt;0.05. The results showed the images of DCS were seen in 20 samples with 9 (45%) samples experiencing acute flare (p &lt;0.05), while in 21 samples where no DCS were found, all did not experience any flare. Findings of aggregate and tophus were rarely found, 7.3% and 4.9%, respectively. In this study, the finding of DCS precipitates using ultrasound has a significant correlation to the emergence of acute flare and is a significant form of precipitate findings in this study, whereas aggregate and tophus precipitates are difficult to determine.

Risk factors of ultrasound-detected tophi in patients with gout.

Tophus is a characteristic manifestation of advanced gout, the clinical significance of which is often underestimated. This study aimed to compare the difference of clinical and ultrasound features between gout patients with and without ultrasound-detected tophus and identify risk factors associated with the presence of ultrasonographic tophus in gout patients. A total of 85 gout patients were divided into tophaceous (n = 54) and non-tophaceous group (n = 31) according to the presence of ultrasound-detected tophus. All patients underwent ultrasound examination of the bilateral knee, ankle, and first metatarsophalangeal joint (MTP1). Clinical information and ultrasound findings were compared between the groups. A multivariate logistic regression analysis to determine possible risk factors is associated with the number of ultrasound-detected tophaceous joints. Older age, longer gout duration, higher gout flare frequency, lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and higher prevalence of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and ultrasound manifestations including double contour sign (DCS) and erosion were observed in tophaceous patients from the univariate analysis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that eGFR and disease duration were independently associated with the number of tophaceous joints. Lower eGFR and longer course duration were associated with a higher risk of tophi (B = -0.020, 0.141; P = 0.009, 0.010, respectively). The main factors that may influence the formation of tophi are disease duration and eGFR.Key Points• Lower eGFR and longer course duration are independent risk factors of tophi formation in gout patients.• The incidence of ultrasound manifestations including double contour sign (DCS) and erosion in patients with tophi were higher than those without tophi.

Assessing the sensitivity to change of the OMERACT ultrasound structural gout lesions during urate-lowering therapy

ObjectivesTo evaluate the sensitivity to change of ultrasound structural gout lesions, as defined by the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) ultrasound group, in patients with gout during urate-lowering therapy (ULT).MethodsUltrasound...

Role of Diagnostic Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in Assessment of Gouty Arthritis

Background: Gout is a chronic heterogeneous disorder of urate metabolism results in deposition of monosodium urate crystals in the joints and soft tissues, with accompanying inflammation and degenerative consequences. Aim of work: Assessment of the role of musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) in detecting changes in gouty arthritis patients under anti hyperuricimic treatment. Patients and methods: 30 patients with gouty arthritis treated with febuxostat 80 mg once daily for 3 months and 20 (age, sex & body mass index “BMI”) matched controls were included. Patients were assessed by clinical examination, pain by visual analogue scale (VAS), tenderness by Ritchie index, functionally assessed using lower extremity functional scale & examination of joint effusion and tophi by palpation. MSUS findings in knee and first metatarsophalangeal “1st MTP” joints of patients and controls were reported before and 3 months after treatment. Results: BMI mean in patients group was 28.18 ± 1.49 (25-31) and in controls was 27.67 ± 1.56 (25-31). VAS, tenderness & lower extremity functional scale in patients before treatment in knee & 1 stMTP joints significantly improved after treatment (p < 0.001). There was a significant improvement in ESR, CRP, serum uric acid, double contour sign & knee effusion in patients after treatment compared to before treatment. Conclusion: Ultrasonography can detect changes related to treatment of gout with febuxostat. Febuxostat is a safe and efficient anti hyperurecemic drug and is effective in treatment of gouty arthritis. Ultrasound is more sensitive in detecting findings & changes of disease than clinical examination.