Agreement of clinical examination and ultrasound methods for detection of joints involvements in rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease  characterized by synovial tissue in?ammation and destruction of articular components which if not controlled properly, can cause disability in  patients. For this reason, evaluation of disease activity and its control is very important. In recent years using sonography is promising for the evaluation of disease activity. Tis study aimed to compare “clinical  examination” and “ultrasonography” methods in the detection of disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Materials and Methods: Tis  cross?sectional study was conducted during 2015 in Al?Zahra Hospital of Isfahan. Based on the American College of Rheumatology 2010 criteria, ninety patients with rheumatoid arthritis who diagnosed by rheumatologist
entered into the study. All patients, collaborator by radiologists were subjected to sonography of specifc joints structures using two methods, i.e., high?resolution ultrasonography and power Doppler. Results: A total of 2520 joints from ninety patients were examined by physical examination and ultrasonography that 244 joints (9.7%) in physical examination and 348 joints (13.4%) in ultrasonography were involved and the di?erence between the two groups was statistically signifcant (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Probably, ultrasonography can diagnose joint involvement better than physical examination in patients with Rheumatoid arthritis.