Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34144383›Full record

ArticleSeminars in arthritis and rheumatism2021

Ultrasound evaluation of the hands and wrists in patients with systemic sclerosis: Osteophytosis is a major contributor to tender joints.

Robert Fairchild, Audra Horomanski, Laurel Sharpless, Melody Chung, Shufeng Li, Jison Hong, Khushboo Sheth, Lorinda Chung

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Seminars in arthritis and rheumatism, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
1.4field-weighted citation impact, top 20% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Robert FairchildDivision of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University Medical Center, USA. Electronic address: rfairchi@stanford.edu.
Audra HoromanskiDivision of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University Medical Center, USA.
Laurel SharplessDivision of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University Medical Center, USA.
Melody ChungDivision of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University Medical Center, USA.
Shufeng LiDepartments of Dermatology and Urology, Stanford University Medical Center, USA.
Jison HongDivision of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University Medical Center, USA.
Khushboo ShethDivision of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University Medical Center, USA; Division of Rheumatology, Palo Alto VA Healthcare System, USA.
Lorinda ChungDivision of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University Medical Center, USA; Division of Rheumatology, Palo Alto VA Healthcare System, USA.
Stanford University · USStanford Medicine · USVA Palo Alto Health Care System · US

Funding

Training Program in Adult and Pediatric RheumatologyT32AR050942 · NIAMS · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · PI LEWIS, DAVID BRAM, ROBINSON, WILLIAM H · 2005 to 2025
$6.6M
NIAMS NIH HHS T32 AR050942
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo evaluate the prevalence and clinical associations of ultrasound (US) findings of inflammatory arthritis and joint and soft tissue pathology in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

methodsThe hands and wrists of 43 SSc patients and 35 age-balanced controls were evaluated by clinical exam and musculoskeletal US. Synovial and tenosynovial pathology were assessed using semi-quantitative Gray Scale (GS) and Power Doppler (PD) scoring. US evaluation for osteophytes, erosions, ulnar artery occlusion, and median nerve cross-sectional areas was performed. Tender joints (TJ), swollen joints (SJ), modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS), digital ulcers, contractures, and calcinosis were evaluated. Concordance between US and physical exam findings at each joint region were assessed, and associations between their severity were analyzed.

resultsTJs and SJs were present in 44.2% and 62.8% of SSc patients, respectively. Inflammatory arthritis, defined as having both GS>0 and PD>0, was observed in 18.6% of SSc patients and no controls. There was a high concordance by joint region between GS synovial hypertrophy and osteophytes (κ=0.88) as well as TJs (κ=0.72). SSc patients had more osteophytes compared to controls (48.8% vs 22.9%, p = 0.018) as well as higher osteophyte severity (p = 0.033).

conclusionsDespite a high percentage of tender and swollen joints, less than 20% of SSc patients met criteria for inflammatory arthritis on US. The high concordance of osteophytes with GS synovial hypertrophy and tender joints suggest that osteophytosis may be a significant contributor to joint pain in SSc patients.

Indexed as

Arthritis, RheumatoidScleroderma, SystemicArthralgiaHumansJointsSeverity of Illness IndexUltrasonographyWrist

Identifiers

PMID34144383
PMCPMC8384688
OpenAlexW3163221218

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.