European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group Criteria Research Articles

Differences between radiographic and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis patients in a Mexican cohort

To compare the demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics, disease onset, and clinical features of radiographic axial Spondyloarthritis (r-axSpA) and non-radiographic axial Spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) patients. All patients who attended outpatient spondylarthritis (SpA) clinics at Hospital General de Mexico and the Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición from 1998 to 2005 and met the rheumatologist diagnostic criteria for SpA were selected. Then the SpA patients were classified by European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group criteria (ESSG). We selected SpA patients with axial presentation as axial SpA (axSpA), and they were classified as r-axSpA if they met modified New York (mNY) criteria for sacroiliitis and as nr-axSpA if they did not meet mNY criteria; to compared clinical, demographic, and laboratory test between the subgroups. It included 148 SpA patients; 55 (37.2%) patients had r-axSpA, and 70 (47.3%) had nr-axSpA. The nr-axSpA patients had a lower proportion of males (58.6% vs 78.2%, P < 0.05), lower HLA-B27 frequency (54.3%. vs. 92.7%, P < 0.05), were older at disease onset (21 vs 16 years; P < 0.01) and had a higher frequency of infections at disease onset (9.1% vs 32.9, P < 0.05) than r-axSpA. BASFI (2.9 vs 4.8; P < 0.0001), Dougados functional index (7 vs. 14; P < 0.05), and BASDAI (4.1 vs. 5.2; P < 0.001) were lower in patients with nr-axSpA than r-axSpA, respectively. The factors that most influenced the presentation of r-axSpA were history of uveitis (OR 14, 95% CI 2.3–85), HLA-B27 (OR 7.97, 95% CI, 2.96–122), male sex (OR 6.16, 95% CI, 1.47–25.7), axial enthesopathy count (OR 1.17 95% CI, 1.03–1.33). This study provides insight into the differences between nr-axSpA and r-axSpA in Mexico. Patients with r-axSpA were mainly male, with a younger presentation age, a higher prevalence of HLA-B27, more history of uveitis, fewer episodes of dactylitis, more axial enthesopathy, and higher disease activity than nr-axSpA.

Identification of the first signs or symptoms in different spondyloarthritis subtypes and their association with HLA-B27: data from REGISPONSER and RESPONDIA registries

ObjectiveTo describe and analyse the initial symptoms attributable to patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA) and their association with HLA-B27 status.MethodsThis was an observational, cross-sectional and multicentre study with patients who fulfilled...

Awareness and knowledge of the common features of inflammatory back pain among primary care physicians in the western region of Saudi Arabia.

Often, there is a delay in the diagnosis of inflammatory back pain (IBP) in the primary care setting. This may be attributed to the inability of healthcare providers to distinguish between inflammatory and mechanical back pain. This study aimed to evaluate primary care physicians' current practices for assessing patients with IBP using clinical, radiographic, and laboratory tests. A questionnaire-based survey was emailed to all primary care physicians in the western region of Saudi Arabia by the Saudi Commission of Health Specialists from February to May 2021. The questionnaire included data about axial spondyloarthropathy based on the Calin, Berlin, and European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group criteria. A total of 103 primary care physicians responded who represented around 24% of primary care physicians at primary healthcare. The most often perceived IBP symptoms include a response to NSAIDs, morning stiffness lasting >30 minutes, age of onset <45 years old, duration of back pain >3 months, and improvement with exercise. The most frequently questioned patient or family history conditions were peripheral arthritis (92.2%), family history of spondyloarthritis (83.5%), and inflammatory bowel disease (97.6%). The most-reported investigations were CRP/ESR (86.4%) and spinal radiography (66%). For treatment of IBP, NSAIDs were most prescribed (48.6%), followed by physiotherapy (45.6%) and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (41.7%). Primary care physicians were more confident in management of mechanical back pain than IBP (P < .001). Primary care physicians have good knowledge of IBP symptoms but not of disease-specific features and modest confidence in evaluating patients with IBP, indicating the need for educational programs and a more effective, feasible referral strategy.

Clinical presentation and subtypes of spondyloarthritis patients in North East India

Aim of the workTo describe the clinical profile and subtypes of spondyloarthritis (SpA) patients from a tertiary care center in North-Eastern India. Patients and methodThis cross-sectional study was conducted from a tertiary care hospital in Northeast India including 34 patients. Diagnosis of SpA was based on the European Spondyloarthropathy Study group (ESSG) criteria. Results34 cases were 26 (76.5%) males and 8 (23.5%) females. The male to female ratio was 3.2:1. The mean age of the patients was 45 ± 20.2 years. 21 (61.8%) belonged to the age group 21–40 years. The mean age at onset was 28.4 ± 11.4 years while the disease duration was 5.4 ± 5.1 years. Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) was the most common subtype (n = 19,56%), followed by reactive arthritis (ReA)(n = 5,15%) and undifferentiated (UdSpA)(n = 5,15%). Psoriatic arthritis (PsA)(n = 4,12%) and juvenile SpA (n = 1,3%) made up rest of the cases. The most common articular manifestations were peripheral arthritis (88.2%) followed by low back pain (73.5%) and enthesitis (50%). There was evidence of sacroiliitis in 20 (58.8%) patients of which 19 had AS and 17 (85%) were bilateral. The HLAB27 was done in 14 with AS and one with Juvenile SpA; 10(73.7%) were positive. ConclusionThe commonest SpA encountered was AS with a notable male preponderance among patients. Peripheral arthritis was a common clinical presentation in all subtypes of patients. As diagnosing SpA can be challenging, it is recommended that the physicians have a high index of suspicion. Early diagnosis and knowledge of the pattern of the disease might contribute to more favorable treatment outcomes.

Prevalence of Spondyloarthritis Among Patients Who Underwent Lumbar Disc Herniation Surgery.

This study aims to estimate the prevalence of spondyloarthritis (SpA) among patients who had been surgically treated for lumbar disc herniation (LDH), according to the modified New York (mNY) criteria for the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis and Amor, the European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group (ESSG), the Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society (ASAS) classification criteria for SpA. The study included 321 patients (142 males, 179 females; mean age 49±10.8 years; range, 18 to 79 years) who underwent LDH surgery between April 2008 and May 2012 in the neurosurgery clinic of our hospital. Patients were contacted by phone on at least two attempts. Totally, 123 patients accepted to come to the outpatient clinic, while the remaining 198 agreed to be interviewed on the phone. Patients who agreed to come to the outpatient rheumatology clinic underwent clinical examination, and pelvic X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the sacroiliac joints when indicated. Inflammatory back pain was diagnosed in 108 patients (34%) and 40 patients (13%) according to Calin criteria and the ASAS criteria, respectively. Prevalence of SpA among all patients was estimated as 17.7% according to the ESSG criteria, and 8.7% according to Amor criteria. Five of the 308 pelvic radiographs had definite radiographic sacroiliitis as required by the mNY criteria. Four patients had a characteristic pattern of bone marrow edema on MRI examination in accordance with the ASAS definitions. The overall prevalence of sacroiliitis (MRI sacroiliitis+X-ray sacroiliitis) among the patients who came to the clinic was 7.3% ([4+5]/123). The relatively increased prevalence of SpA among patients who underwent LDH surgery indicates the necessity of increasing awareness on the new concept of axial SpA for specialists treating patients with low back pain.

Can power Doppler ultrasound of the entheses help in classifying recent axial spondyloarthritis? Data from the DESIR cohort

Early diagnosis of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) remains a challenge due to the lack of specificity of clinical symptoms and variable prevalence of axial imaging findings permitting a definite diagnosis. Power...

Performance and agreement between classification criteria and rheumatologist's diagnosis of the most widely used SpA classification criteria in a Colombian group of patients with chronic low back pain

Abstract Objective To evaluate the performance of the most widely used SpA classification criteria in a Colombian group of patients with chronic low back pain. Methods We assessed the ASAS and the European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group (ESSG) classification criteria in a group of 133 patients who attended consecutively over a period of six months at outpatient clinic of low back pain. All the patients were evaluated with the same protocol. The patients were divided into two groups according to the diagnosis. The diagnosis was compared with the diagnosis made by a expert rheumatologist blinded to patient information. Results 81 patients with SpA and 52 with other diagnoses were included. There were no differences in age and age of onset of symptoms between the two groups. The SpA group included 55 males and more common clinical findings were: enthesitis, arthritis, sacroiliitis, HLA-B27-positive, previous infection, and dactylitis. The sensitivity and specificity of criteria were: ASAS criteria 96% of sensibility and 80% of specificity, and ESSG criteria 95% and 100% respectively. The agreement between the classification criteria and the diagnosis established by the rheumatologist showed a Cohen's kappa index of 0.938 for ESSG criteria (95% CI: 0.877–0.998) and 0.790 for the ASAS criteria (95% CI: 0.682–0.898). Conclusion In a Colombian group of SpA patients, the new ASAS classification criteria have a good concordance with clinical diagnosis but are not superior to the ESSG criteria.

Performance and agreement between classification criteria and rheumatologist's diagnosis of the most widely used SpA classification criteria in a Colombian group of patients with chronic low back pain

ObjectiveTo evaluate the performance of the most widely used SpA classification criteria in a Colombian group of patients with chronic low back pain. MethodsWe assessed the ASAS and the European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group (ESSG) classification criteria in a group of 133 patients who attended consecutively over a period of six months at outpatient clinic of low back pain. All the patients were evaluated with the same protocol. The patients were divided into two groups according to the diagnosis. The diagnosis was compared with the diagnosis made by a expert rheumatologist blinded to patient information. Results81 patients with SpA and 52 with other diagnoses were included. There were no differences in age and age of onset of symptoms between the two groups. The SpA group included 55 males and more common clinical findings were: enthesitis, arthritis, sacroiliitis, HLA-B27-positive, previous infection, and dactylitis. The sensitivity and specificity of criteria were: ASAS criteria 96% of sensibility and 80% of specificity, and ESSG criteria 95% and 100% respectively.The agreement between the classification criteria and the diagnosis established by the rheumatologist showed a Cohen's kappa index of 0.938 for ESSG criteria (95% CI: 0.877–0.998) and 0.790 for the ASAS criteria (95% CI: 0.682–0.898). ConclusionIn a Colombian group of SpA patients, the new ASAS classification criteria have a good concordance with clinical diagnosis but are not superior to the ESSG criteria.

The performance of different classification criteria sets for spondyloarthritis in the worldwide ASAS-COMOSPA study

BackgroundIn this study, we sought to compare the performance of spondyloarthritis (SpA) classification criteria sets in an international SpA cohort with patients included from five continents around the world.MethodsData from the (ASAS) COMOrbidities in SPondyloArthritis (ASAS-COMOSPA) study were used. ASAS-COMOSPA is a multinational, cross-sectional study with consecutive patients diagnosed with SpA by rheumatologists worldwide. Patients were classified according to the European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group (ESSG), modified European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group (mESSG), Amor, modified Amor, Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS) axial Spondyloarthritis (axSpA), ASAS peripheral spondyloarthritis (pSpA) and ClASsification criteria for Psoriatic Arthritis (CASPAR) criteria. Overlap between the classification criteria sets was assessed for patients with and without back pain. Furthermore, patients fulfilling different arms of the ASAS axSpA criteria (imaging arm, clinical arm, both arms) were compared on the presence of SpA features.ResultsA total of 3942 patients (5 continents, 26 countries) were included. The mean age was 43.6 years, 65.0% were male, 56.2% were human leucocyte antigen B27-positive and 64.4% had radiographic sacroiliitis (based on modified New York criteria). Of the patients, 85.5% were classified by the ASAS SpA criteria (87.7% ASAS axSpA, 12.3% ASAS pSpA). Fulfilment of the Amor, ESSG and CASPAR criteria was present in 83.3%, 88.4% and 21.6% of patients, respectively. Of the patients with back pain (n = 3227), most were classified by all three of Amor, ESSG and ASAS axSpA criteria (71.4%). Patients fulfilling the imaging arm and the clinical arm of the ASAS axSpA criteria had similar presentations of SpA features. In patients without back pain, overlap between classification criteria sets was seen, although to a lesser extent.ConclusionsMost patients with a clinical diagnosis of axial SpA in the worldwide ASAS-COMOSPA study fulfil several classification criteria sets, and a substantial overlap between different criteria sets is seen, which suggests a high level of credibility of the criteria. Large inter-regional differences in the fulfilment of classification criteria were not found. Patients fulfilling the clinical arm were remarkably similar to patients fulfilling the imaging arm with respect to the presence of most SpA features.

The prevalence of spondyloarthropathy in fibromyalgia patients

Objective: To document the prevalence of Spondyloarthropathy (SpA) with an evaluation of patients previously diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS).Methods: The patients diagnosed with FMS before telephoned and asked three questions to determine for inflammatory back pain. American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Fibromyalgia criteria 1990 and ACR 2010 and for diagnosing patients with SpA; criteria from the European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group (ESSG), and Amor were applied.Results: FMS was diagnosed according to 1990 ACR criteria in 14 (60.8%) SpA patients who were diagnosed with SpA according to the Amor criteria alone and in 10 (43.4%) patients who were diagnosed according to ESSG criteria alone, while it was diagnosed in 9 (33.3%) patients who were diagnosed with SpA according to Amor and ESSG criteria together and in 15 (65.2%) patients diagnosed with SpA according to Amor and/or ESSG criteria. The most tenderness was experienced in the bilateral shoulder supraspinatus tendon insertion region (57.7%) and in the sacroiliac joint (40.8%). Fourteen (60.8%) patients diagnosed according to ACR 1990 and 17 (51.6%) patients diagnosed according to ACR 2010 had plantar fasciitis and/or Achilles enthesopathy on foot radiography.Conclusions: There is a meaningful section of patients who are SpA or FMS and SpA are together in the patients thought to be FMS or the patients diagnosed with FMS according to ACR’s criteria can be said.

Analysis of HLA-B15 and HLA-B27 in spondyloarthritis with peripheral and axial clinical patterns

ObjectiveHuman leucocyte antigen (HLA) B27 and HLA-B15 are associated with spondyloarthritis (SpA). Recent Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS) criteria emphasise a distinction between SpA with axial and peripheral patterns....

Estimation of the sensitivity and specificity of ASAS criteria for peripheral spondyloarthritis in patients with early psoriatic arthritis

Objective: to estimate the sensitivity and specificity of ASAS (Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society) criteria for peripheral spondyloarthritis (SpA) in patients with early psoriatic arthritis (ePsA). Subjects and methods. Examinations was made in 45 patients (17 men and 28 women) with ePsA meeting the CASPAR (ClASsification criteria for Psoriatic ARthritis) criteria (mean age, 37 years; disease duration, 1 year) and in 20 patients (9 men and 11 women) with signs of peripheral SpA meeting the ESSG (European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group) criteria (mean age, 23 years; disease duration, 2.25 years; control group). The investigators estimated 78/76 tender/swollen joints and enthuses using MASES (Maastricht Ankylosing Spondylitis Enthesitis Score) and assessed the presence of inflammatory spinal pain according to the ASAS criteria, psoriasis, uveitis, inflammatory bowel diseases, genitourinary and/or enteric infections, and a family history of SpA. They also performed X-ray studies of the hand and distal portions of the foot and pelvis and graded sacroilitis using the Kellgren scores. HLA-B27, C-reactive protein, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were determined. The sensitivity/specificity, likelihood ratios, and clinical value of criteria were calculated. Results. 41/4 and 31/14 patents with ePsA met/unmet Criteria Sets I and II. The sensitivity/specificity of Sets I and II was 91.1/10% and 68.8/95%, respectively. One patient with ePsA and two patients in the control group did not meet one of the sing sets. The total sensitivity/specificity was 97.8/10%. In the control group, the sensitivity/specificity of Sets I and II was 91.1/100% and 68.8/100%, respectively. For ePsA, the positive likelihood ratio proved to be high for Set II (13.78%) and low for Set I (1.01). Conclusion. ASAS Criteria Set I for peripheral SpA is of low value in identifying ePsA and Sign Set II shows a high value in diagnosing ePsA as it includes the major clinical manifestations of the disease. Both the ASAS for peripheral SpA and CASPAR criteria may be used for the classification of PsA.

Prevalence of Inflammatory Back Pain and Axial Spondyloarthritis Among University Employees in Izmir, Turkey.

To estimate the prevalence of inflammatory back pain (IBP) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) using the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society (ASAS) classification criteria among employees in a university. In the first stage of the study, a face-to-face interview was done using a standard questionnaire to investigate IBP in 381 subjects randomly selected from 2894 employees at Dokuz Eylul University in Izmir, Turkey. In the second stage, subjects with back pain for ≥ 3 months and age at onset < 45 years were evaluated for axSpA using the ASAS criteria. Both the European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group (ESSG) criteria and Amor criteria were used for the classification of the whole group of spondyloarthritis (SpA). There were 131 male and 250 female subjects (mean age: 38.0 yrs). Twenty-five subjects (6.6%) were classified as having IBP according to the ASAS criteria. The prevalence of IBP according to the Berlin and Calin criteria was 7.1% and 21.5%, respectively. The prevalence of axSpA was estimated at 1.3% according to the ASAS classification criteria (0.5% for radiographic axSpA and 0.8% for nonradiographic axSpA). A total of 7 patients (1.8%) fulfilled both the Amor and ESSG criteria for the whole group of SpA. This is the first prevalence study of IBP and axSpA using ASAS classification criteria in the Turkish population. The prevalence estimates of IBP and axSpA reported here are within the upper range of other studies in European countries and the United States.

Diagnosis of spondyloarthritis: should we need new criteria?

A large number of classification criteria for spondyloarthritis (SpA) are simultaneously used in modern rheumatology in the almost complete absence of diagnostic criteria. This poses a number of problems, among which there are two most important ones: 1) the frequent use of classification criteria to make a diagnosis in real clinical practice; 2) the possibility of stating different nosological entities of SpA in one patient in the presence of the same clinical picture. Objective : to investigate the specific features of the diagnosis of SpA and the use of its classification criteria in clinical practice. Subjects and methods . The investigation enrolled 119 patients with the established diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), undifferentiated axial or peripheral SpA. Whether their clinical picture complied with the modified New York criteria, the European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group (ESSG) criteria, the Amor criteria, and the Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society (ASAS) classification criteria for axial and peripheral SpA and whether the Russian version of the modified New York criteria complied with the Classification criteria of Psoriatic ARthritis (CASPAR) were determined in the patients. Results . Sixty-three patients diagnosed with AS (M45), 44 with PsA (M07.0-07.3), 8 with undifferentiated SpA (M46.9), and 4 with nonradiographic axial SpA (M46.8) were followed up by attending physicians. The latter diagnosed AS in 10 patients who met the ASAS criteria for axial PsA but not the modified New York criteria. Twenty-one patients diagnosed as having PsA simultaneously met both the CASPAR criteria and the modified New York criteria, which could establish the diagnosis of AS in these cases. Eighty-one (68.0%) out of the 119 patients met the Amor criteria; 98 (82.3%) patients, the ESSG criteria; 91 (76.5%), the ASAS criteria for axial SpA; 18 (15.1%), the ASAS criteria for peripheral SpA; 76 (63.8%), the modified New York criteria; 88 (73.9%), the Russian version of the modified New York criteria; 42 (32.3%), the CASPAR criteria. No intersection of criteria was observed in only 5 patients; 113 (94.9%) patients met ≥2 criteria; 96 (80.7%), ≥3 criteria; 81 (68.1%), ≥4 criteria; 66 (55.5%), simultaneously ≥5 criteria; and 18 (15.1%), simultaneously 6 criteria. Conclusion . Most patients with SpA meet ≥2 classification criteria, which gives the chance to state ≥2 nosological entities in the same patient. This demonstrates the elaboration of diagnostic criteria that can make a clear distinction between different forms of SpA in clinical practice.

Validity of ankylosing spondylitis and undifferentiated spondyloarthritis diagnoses in the Swedish National Patient Register

Objectives: Epidemiological studies of spondyloarthritis (SpA), using ICD codes from the Swedish National Patient Register (NPR), offer unique possibilities but hinge upon an understanding of the validity of the codes. The aim of this study was to validate the ICD codes for ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and undifferentiated SpA (uSpA) in the NPR against the established classification criteria [modified New York (mNY), Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS), Amor, and European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group (ESSG) criteria].Method: All patients with an ICD-8/9/10 code of AS or uSpA in the NPR 1966–2009 at a visit to a specialist in rheumatology or internal medicine or corresponding hospitalization, alive and living in Sweden 2009, were identified (n = 20 089). Following a structured procedure to achieve geographical representativeness, 500 random patients with a diagnosis of AS or uSpA in 2007–2009 were selected. Based on a structured review of clinical records, positive predictive values (PPVs) for fulfilling the criteria sets were calculated.Results: For those having received an ICD code for AS, the PPVs for fulfilling the mNY criteria or any set of SpA criteria were 70% and 89%, respectively. For those with an uSpA diagnosis (and never an AS diagnosis), the corresponding PPVs were 20% and 79%. The subset with both AS and uSpA diagnoses (overlap = 12%) were as likely to fulfil the mNY criteria as the group that had been coded as AS only.Conclusions: The diagnosis codes for AS or uSpA had high PPVs, suggesting that our case identification in the Swedish NPR can be used for nationwide, population-based, epidemiological studies of these diseases.

Spontaneous, drug-induced, and drug-free remission in peripheral and axial spondyloarthritis

In spondyloarthritis (SpA), spontaneous remission is best described in reactive arthritis, a form of peripheral SpA. Prior SpA observational studies suggested that a significant percentage of patients reached spontaneous remission; however, these patients were followed up under older, broader European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group (ESSG) criteria or were not defined by specific criteria. In general, they were mixed populations of peripheral and axial disease, and the subsets were not differentiated when assessing end points such as remission. There are limited data on the natural history of axial SpA, in part because of the evolution of the criteria with the more recently developed Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society (ASAS) criteria, including the designation of non-radiographic axial SpA and peripheral SpA. Clinical trials have been conducted with various remission end points including withdrawal of therapy to determine remission maintenance. The following review addresses the potential for remission in axial and peripheral SpA based on the data from both observational studies and clinical trials.

Anti-tumor necrosis factor drug survival in axial spondyloarthritis is independent of the classification criteria.

To compare the impact of meeting specific classification criteria [modified New York (mNY), European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group (ESSG), and Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS) criteria] on anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) drug retention, and to determine predictive factors of better drug survival. All patients fulfilling the ESSG criteria for axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) with available data on the axial ASAS and mNY criteria, and who had received at least one anti-TNF treatment were retrospectively retrieved in a single academic institution in Switzerland. Drug retention was computed using survival analysis (Kaplan-Meier), adjusted for potential confounders. Of the 137 patients classified as having axial SpA using the ESSG criteria, 112 also met the ASAS axial SpA criteria, and 77 fulfilled the mNY criteria. Drug retention rates at 12 and 24 months for the first biologic therapy were not significantly different between the diagnostic groups. Only the small ASAS non-classified axial SpA group (25 patients) showed a nonsignificant trend toward shorter drug survival. Elevated CRP level, but not the presence of bone marrow edema on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, was associated with significantly better drug retention (OR 7.9, ICR 4-14). In this cohort, anti-TNF drug survival was independent of the classification criteria. Elevated CRP level, but not positive MRI, was associated with better drug retention.

AB0715 The Frequency of Spondyloarthropathy in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

BackgroundThe most extraintestinal finding of inflammatory bowel diseases is musculoskeletal involvement. “Enteropathic arthritis” has been described as an inflammatory arthritis that gastrointestinal system plays a role in its pathogenesis and...

Is the role of Chlamydia trachomatis underestimated in reactive arthritis patients in India

Background: Although Chlamydia trachomatis-induced Reactive Arthritis (ReA) constitutes a significant disease burden in various countries, however it remains largely unrecognized and probably underestimated in India. Due to availability of multiple serovars, biphasic lifecycle and asymptomatic infection, diagnosis of this pathogen is difficult, thereby leading to chronic, persistent chlamydial infection in the synovium. The aim of the present prospective study was to find the presence of intra-articular C. trachomatis infection by nucleic acid amplification tests and secretory IgA determination in patients with ReA and in forme fruste of ReA, viz.: Undifferentiated Spondyloarthropathy (uSpA) attending a major tertiary Army hospital inNew Delhi (India). Methods & Materials: Synovial fluid was aspirated from the knee joints of age and sex-matched 30 arthritic patients, viz.: ReA/uSpA (n=15) and Osteoarthritis controls (OA) (n =15) following the European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group criteria for ReA while clinical and radiological diagnosis was done for OA patients. The clinical details were recorded in all patients. Both C. trachomatis-specific surface Major Outer Membrane Protein (MOMP) and endogenous plasmid genes were targeted using semi-nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (snPCR) and nested PCR (nPCR), while anti-C. trachomatis IgA antibodies were estimated by commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit (Savyon Diagnostics, Israel). Statistical evaluation of data was done by using trial version of Graph Prism Pad software (version 5.0; GraphPad Software, Inc., San Diego, California, USA). Results: Overall, 33.3% (5/15) ReA/uSpA patients were found to be C. trachomatis-positive for either MOMP/plasmid gene in the joint fluid. 20% (3/15) were positive for plasmid gene while MOMPgenewas present in 13.3% (2/15) patients in the study group (ReA/uSpA). Intra-articular anti-C. trachomatis IgA antibodies were detected in 26.6% (4/15) patients in the synovial fluid. Significant correlation (‘p’ value <0.05) was found between PCR and serologic findings. None of OA controls was found positive for either chlamydial antibody/MOMP gene/plasmid gene. Conclusion: The observations in the present study indicate that intra-articular C. trachomatis infection in ReA/uSpA patients is both underestimated as well as underdiagnosed inIndia. It also suggests the usefulness of serology for better clinical management of such patients.

Hidradenitis Suppurativa Associated with Spondyloarthritis — Results from a Multicenter National Prospective Study

To determine the prevalence and characterize the inflammatory musculoskeletal symptoms of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), a chronic inflammatory disease of skin appendages. Patients with HS referred to 3 dermatology university hospital centers were systematically screened for peripheral arthritis, dactylitis, inflammatory back pain, or enthesitis. After careful clinical examination, patients were further classified according to clinical and imaging criteria for spondyloarthritis (SpA) using the Amor, European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group (ESSG), and ASsessment in ankylosing spondylitis (ASAS). We screened 640 patients with HS; 184 had musculoskeletal symptoms. In all, 43 (mean age 39.4 yrs, ± 8.3; 80% women) had arthritis, inflammatory back pain, or enthesitis and were investigated further. Signs of HS preceded the onset of articular symptoms in 39 patients (90%), at a mean interval of 3.6 years. A total of 18 (41%), 24 (55%), and 15 (34%) patients fulfilled the Amor, ESSG, and ASAS criteria, respectively, while synovitis, acne, pustolosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis (SAPHO) syndrome was established in 4 patients. The crude prevalence of SpA in all 640 patients with HS was 3.7% by the ESSG criteria. SpA may occur in patients with HS, with the prevalence in this group exceeding that in the general population. The very short time between skin and joint symptom onset in some cases suggests common pathogenic mechanisms underlying HS and SpA.