Higher rates of ultrasound synovial hypertrophy, bone erosion and power doppler signal in asymptomatic Brazilian elderly versus young adults: a cross-sectional study.

To evaluate the prevalence of musculoskeletal ultrasonography (MSUS) abnormalities in asymptomatic elderly individuals. A cross-sectional controlled study was conducted and MSUS of 23 joints (wrist, metacarpophalangeal-MCP, proximal interphalangeal-PIP, elbow, glenohumeral, hip, knee, ankle, and metatarsophalangeal-MTP joints) was performed in healthy individuals aged 18-29 (young, n = 32) and 60-80 years-old (elderly, n = 32). Quantitative synovial hypertrophy (SH) was measured in mm and a semiquantitative scoring system (0-3) was used to grade SH, power doppler (PD) and bone erosion (BE).