Table 2 Value of ultrasonography in remission of rheumatoid arthritis

97 RA in remission >2 months (physician's judgment); 88 controls

42; PIP, MCP, wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees, ankles, MT, MTP

GSUS & PDUS

A

Of RA in remission, 92% GSUS-positive and 42% PDUS-positive;

88% of non-arthritic controls GSUS-positive

Of sets ARA 1981, DAS28 and SDAI, the SDAI is closest to the absence of inflammation on US

j,o

107 RA in remission > 6 months (physician's judgment)

8; MCP2-5, wrist (RC, IC, DRU, UC) of dominant hand

GSUS & PDUS

B

73% GSUS-positive

43% PDUS-positive

In many patients in remission, inflammation is found on US

o,x

102 RA in remission > 6 months (physician's judgment)

8; MCP2-5, wrist (RC, IC, DRU, UC) of dominant hand

PDUS predicts radiographic progression at one year: OR = 12 (3.3, 44)

Presence of PDUS predicts radiographic progression in joints of patients in remission

o,v,x

85 RA in remission or with LDA > 2 months (DAS < 2.4)

14; wrists, MCP2,3,5, MTP2,3,5

PDUS predicts flare: OR = 6.3 (2.0, 20); PDUS predicts radiographic progression: OR = 1.4 (1.1, 1.9)

Inflammation on PDUS predicts radiographic progression and flare of patients in remission or with LDA

o,q,v

52 RA of whom a subgroup in remission > 2 months (Preliminary ARA 1981 + DAS < 3.2)

14; MCP1-5, wrists (USTL, RSTL)

62% of 32 patients (in ARA 1981 remission) PDUS-positive

58% of 31 patients (in DAS28 remission) PDUS-positive

PDUS inflammation is found for 2 different remission criteria sets, in a similar number of patients

i,j,k,l,o,r,t,

48 early (7 months) RA in remission > 6 months (DAS < 1.6)

46 LSRA (118 mo.) in remission > 6 months (DAS < 1.6)

12; MCP2-3, PIP2-3, wrists (RC, UC)

56% early RA

GSUS-positive;

83% LSRA GSUS-positive;

PDUS predicts flare:

OR = 3.6 (1.4, 9.0)

PDUS shows predictive value for flare

In many patients in remission, inflammation is found on US

g,i,l,n,o,p,r,t,u,v

100 RA in remission > 6 months (DAS < 2.6)

16; wrists (RC, UC,IC), MCP1-5

88% GSUS-positive

PDUS-positive 58%

In > 55% of patients in remission inflammation is found on PDUS

i,o,r,x

47 RA in remission > 6 months (DAS28 < 2.6) of whom a subgroup of 20 patients is assessed also by US

18; wrists, PIP, MCP

In group that flared after 2 years, at baseline 88% GSUS-positive and 44% PDUS-positive. In group that did not flare after 2 years, at baseline 82% GSUS-positive and 45% PDUS- positive

In many patients in remission inflammation is found on PDUS, but does not predict flare

o,r,u,v,w,x

128 RA in remission > 6 months (ACR 2011)

6; wrist, MCP2-5 of the dominant hand

Around 50% PDUS-positive when using ACR2011, DAS28, SDAI remission sets

For 3 different remission criteria sets a similar number of patients is PDUS-positive

c,h,i,j,k,l,o,p,r,t,u,v,x

106 early RA (<12 months), of whom

43 in remission > 3 months (DAS < 1.6)

44; shoulders, elbows, wrists, MCP, PIP, knees, ankles, MTP

GSUS & PDUS

E

95% GSUS-positive, 41% PDUS-positive

PDUS positivity predicts flare: OR = 13 (1.6, 104)

In many patients in remission, inflammation found on PDUS, predictive of flare

g,i,j,k,l,m,p,r,t,u,v

10 early (<12 months) RA in remission (DAS28 < 2.6)

42; shoulders, elbows, wrists, MCP, PIP, knees,tibiotalar, MT, MTP

50% GSUS-positive and 15% PDUS-positive in clinically normal joints

In many RA-patients in remission, PDUS inflammation is found

i,n,t,x