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.

C-reactive protein polymorphisms influence serum CRP-levels independent of disease activity in ankylosing spondylitis.

Objectives: C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are frequently used to determine disease activity in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), but these levels may not reflect disease activity. We therefore investigated the influence of common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CRP gene on CRP levels in AS patients. Additionally, the relation between CRP levels and BASDAI (Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index) was examined.

Bone formation rather than inflammation reflects ankylosing spondylitis activity on PET-CT: a pilot study.

Introduction: Positron Emission Tomography - Computer Tomography (PET-CT) is an interesting imaging technique to visualize Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) activity using specific PET tracers. Previous studies have shown that the PET tracers [18F]FDG and [11C](R)PK11195 can target inflammation (synovitis) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and may therefore be useful in AS. Another interesting tracer for AS is [18F]Fluoride, which targets bone formation.

IL10 GGC haplotype is positively and HLA-DQA1*05-DQB1*02 is negatively associated with radiographic progression in undifferentiated arthritis.

Objective: In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), many genetic markers, such as the shared-epitope (SE) alleles, are described in association with radiographic progression, but limited data are available on undifferentiated arthritis (UA). We investigated whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and haplotypes in immune response genes and HLA class II alleles are associated with radiographic progression in patients with early UA.

Methods: Progression of radiographic damage was determined in white Dutch patients with early UA after 2 years of followup.