Absence of ultrasound inflammation in patients presenting with arthralgia rules out the development of arthritis

Table 1 Baseline characteristics (n = 174)

	Patients with IA (n = 31)	Non-IA patients (n = 143)	p Value^a
Female sex, n (%)	25 (81)	119 (83)	0.731
Age, years, mean (SD)	50 (8)	44 (12)	0.005
BMI, mean (SD)	26.8 (4.4)	27.5 (5.2)	0.534
SJC44, median (IQR)	0 (0–0)	0 (0–0)	–
TJC44, median (IQR)	4 (2–9)	5 (3–8)	0.828
RF-positive, n (%)	9 (31)	37 (27)	0.628
ACPA-positive, n (%)	7 (24)	19 (14)	0.161
ESR, median (IQR)	10.5 (5–22)	10.5 (5–21)	0.824
Morning stiffness, minutes, median (IQR)	30 (30–60)	30 (15–60)	0.515
DAS28, mean (SD)	3.4 (1.1)	3.3 (1.0)	0.710
US synovitis^b, n (%)	17 (59)	44 (32)	0.007
PD score > 0, n (%)	9 (31)	17 (12)	0.012

Abbreviations: ACPA Anti-citrullinated protein antibody, BMI Body mass index, DAS28 Disease Activity Score in 28 joints, ESR Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, IA Inflammatory arthritis, PD Power Doppler, RF Rheumatoid factor, SJC44 Swollen joint count in 44 joints, TJC44 Tender joint count in 44 joints, US Ultrasound
^a Depending on the distribution of the data, we used the independent t test or the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test. Frequencies were compared using a chi-square test (p ≤ 0.05)
^b US synovitis defined as greyscale grade 2 or 3 and/or presence of PD (≥1)

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