AUTHOR=Tse Justin J. , Contreras Dani , Salat Peter , Barber Claire E. H. , Hazlewood Glen S. , Barnabe Cheryl , Penney Chris , Ibrahem Ahmed , Mosher Dianne , Manske Sarah L. 

TITLE=Evaluating high-resolution computed tomography derived 3-D joint space metrics of the metacarpophalangeal joints between rheumatoid arthritis and age- and sex-matched control participants

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2024.1387532

DOI=10.3389/fmed.2024.1387532

ISSN=2296-858X

ABSTRACT=<sec id="sec1"><title>Introduction</title><p>Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is commonly characterized by joint space narrowing. High-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) provides unparalleled <italic>in vivo</italic> visualization and quantification of joint space in extremity joints commonly affected by RA, such as the 2nd and 3rd metacarpophalangeal joints. However, age, sex, and obesity can also influence joint space narrowing. Thus, this study aimed to determine whether HR-pQCT joint space metrics could distinguish between RA patients and controls, and determine the effects of age, sex and body mass index (BMI) on these joint space metrics.</p></sec><sec id="sec2"><title>Methods</title><p>HR-pQCT joint space metrics (volume, width, standard deviation of width, maximum/minimum width, and asymmetry) were acquired from RA patients and age-and sex-matched healthy control participants 2nd and 3rd MCP joints. Joint health and functionality were assessed with ultrasound (i.e., effusion and inflammation), hand function tests, and questionnaires.</p></sec><sec id="sec3"><title>Results</title><p>HR-pQCT-derived 3D joint space metrics were not significantly different between RA and control groups (<italic>p</italic> &gt; 0.05), despite significant differences in inflammation and joint function (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05). Joint space volume, mean joint space width (JSW), maximum JSW, minimum JSW were larger in males than females (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05), while maximum JSW decreased with age. No significant association between joint space metrics and BMI were found.</p></sec><sec id="sec4"><title>Conclusion</title><p>HR-pQCT did not detect group level differences between RA and age-and sex-matched controls. Further research is necessary to determine whether this is due to a true lack of group level differences due to well-controlled RA, or the inability of HR-pQCT to detect a difference.</p></sec>