Is Treatment in Patients With Suspected Nonradiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis Effective? Six-Month Results of a Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of 16-week treatment with etanercept (ETN) in patients with suspected nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis (SpA).

Methods: Tumor necrosis factor inhibitor-naive patients with inflammatory back pain with at least 2 SpA features and high disease activity (Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index score ≥4), without the requirement of a positive finding on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the sacroiliac (SI) joint and/or elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) level, were randomized (1:1) to receive ETN (n = 40) or placebo (n = 40) for 16 weeks and subsequently were followed up for a further 8 weeks (to 24 weeks from baseline) without study medication. The primary end point was the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society 20 (ASAS20) response at 16 weeks.

Presence of active MRI lesions in patients suspected of non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis with high disease activity and chance at conversion after a 6-month follow-up period.

Objectives: The primary aim is to evaluate signs of inflammation on MRI of sacroiliac joints (SIJ)/spine in inflammatory back pain (IBP) patients suspected of nr-axSpA with high disease activity. Secondary aims are to describe the onset of new inflammatory lesions at MRI after 6 months and to evaluate gender differences in the presence of inflammation.

Method: Consecutively, patients with IBP with at least two spondyloarthritis features, high disease activity (BASDAI ≥ 4), and who were TNFi naïve, had a MRI of SIJ and spine.