Tumor necrosis factor inhibitor therapy but not standard therapy is associated with resolution of erosion in the sacroiliac joints of patients with axial spondyloarthritis

Table 2 Detection of change in SPARCC MRI SSS and discrimination of the SSS in 147 patients with axial spondyloarthritis receiving either standard or TNFα inhibitor therapy

	SDC (% maximum range)	Mean (SD) baseline score		P value	Mean (SD) change score		Guyatt’s Effect size	P value
		Anti-TNFα^a	Standard^b		Anti-TNFα^a	Standard^b
Fat metaplasia	2.2 (5.5%)	3.6 (5.1)	4.0 (6.6)	NS	0.7 (2.2)	0.2 (1.5)	0.5	0.017
Backfill	2.8 (14%)	3.7 (4.5)	2.2 (3.1)	0.08	0.1 (2.9)	0.4 (1.9)	0.03	NS
Erosion	3.05 (7.6%)	2.7 (3.2)	3.6 (4.4)	NS	−1.5 (2.8)	−0.5 (2.7)	0.6	0.017
Ankylosis	1.39 (7%)	7.3 (8.5)	4.1 (7.0)	0.02	0.4 (1.6)	0.3 (1.2)	0.3	NS

MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; NS, not significant; SD, standard deviation; SDC, smallest detectable change; SPARCC, Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada; SSS, Sacroiliac Joint Structural Score; TNF α, tumor necrosis factor alpha. ^aPatients receiving TNFα inhibitor therapy (n = 79). ^bPatients receiving standard therapy (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug and/or physiotherapy, n = 68).

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