Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38227146›Full record

ArticleJournal of ultrasound2025

Longitudinal assessment of liver stiffness using ARFI technique does not support increased risk of fibrosis in rheumatoid arthritis patients on methotrexate.

Arne Schäfer, Magdolna Szilvia Kovacs, Anna Eder, Axel Nigg, Martin Feuchtenberger

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of ultrasound, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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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

0 citing papers in PubMed, 0 citations in OpenAlex.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Arne SchäferDiabetes Zentrum Mergentheim, Bad Mergentheim, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6600-3691
Magdolna Szilvia KovacsMVZ MED|BAYERN OST, Krankenhausstraße 1, 84489, Burghausen, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9215-6501
Anna EderMVZ MED|BAYERN OST, Krankenhausstraße 1, 84489, Burghausen, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6154-4322
Axel NiggMVZ MED|BAYERN OST, Krankenhausstraße 1, 84489, Burghausen, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5805-806X
Martin FeuchtenbergerMedizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany. m.feuchtenberger@innklinikum.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8028-8099
German Diabetes Center Mergentheim · DEUniversitätsklinikum Würzburg · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsTo assess the liver stiffness in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with methotrexate monotherapy using non-invasive, ultrasound-based elastography (acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging) in a longitudinal approach.

methodsIn total, 23 MTX-naive patients were longitudinally assessed using acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging. Baseline assessments were carried out between July 2018 and April 2019, and the follow-up evaluations took place after an average of 2.6 years. The main outcome variable was the mean shear wave velocity as measured by the ARFI method. It was calculated from 10 valid ARFI measurements for each patient. Inferential statistical analyses (within-group comparisons) were performed using t-tests for dependent samples or suitable nonparametric procedures.

resultsThe main finding was that observed ARFI shear wave velocities did not increase during the observation period. In fact, this parameter decreased over time from 1.07 m/s (SD = 0.23) at baseline without MTX exposure to 0.97 m/s (SD = 0.16) at follow-up after a mean of 2.6 years (P = 0.013). Moreover, the magnitude of the change in shear wave velocity could not be predicted by indicators of inflammation or disease activity, BMI, age, sex or NSAR intake (corresponding regression analysis: corrected R

conclusionsNo increased risk of liver fibrosis was found in RA patients treated with MTX monotherapy during observation period.

Indexed as

Antirheumatic AgentsArthritis, RheumatoidElasticity Imaging TechniquesLiverLiver CirrhosisMethotrexateAdultAgedFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedAntirheumatic AgentsMethotrexateARFIArthritis, RheumatoidDisease modifying antirheumatic drugsFibroscanFibrosis, LiverMethotrexate

Identifiers

PMID38227146
PMCPMC12145398
OpenAlexW4390907917

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Registered trials

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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.