ArticleArthritis research & therapy2025
Entheseal Doppler signals in ultrasound are associated with vasodilator drugs and age in patients with radiographic axial spondyloarthritis.
Article in Arthritis research & therapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Achilles Enthesitis in Psoriatic Arthritis: Inter-Observer Reliability of Ultrasound Findings.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
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Abstract
backgroundThe ability of modern ultrasound machines to detect signs of enthesitis has increased, yet there is a lack of studies on patients with long-standing radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (r-axSpA). Hence, we aimed to investigate the prevalence and clinical significance of Doppler signals indicative of inflammation in peripheral entheses of patients with long-standing disease.
methodsPatients fulfilling the modified New York criteria for ankylosing spondylitis were included in this cohort study. Peripheral entheses were examined clinically and the presence of focal pain was self-reported on a mannequin. Ultrasound examination of 1692 entheses was performed. Doppler signals were graded from 0 to 3 using color Doppler ultrasound and Smooth Microvascular Imaging. Multivariable linear regression was used to explore factors influencing Doppler signals.
resultsOne hundred and forty-one patients were included with, age (mean (SD)) 60 (12) years, symptom duration 34 (12) years, males 57%, and HLA-B27 86%. Overall, 21.3% of patients presented with ≥ 1 active ultrasound enthesitis (Doppler signals combined with hypoechoic tissue). In 4.3% of patients these findings were tender on palpation. Isolated Doppler signals were found in 89.4-97.1% of patients, with the highest mean Doppler grades in the triceps entheses (0.88), and the lowest in the Achilles tendons (0.28). In multivariable linear regression analysis, age (B (95% CI)) (0.01 (0.00; 0.01), p = 0.004), daily NSAIDs (0.15 (0.00; 0.30), p = 0.048), vasodilator drugs 0.16 (0.01; 0.32, p = 0.041), but not AS disease activity score, were associated with total Doppler scores.
conclusionThe prevalence of asymptomatic entheseal ultrasound Doppler findings was overall high. The use of vasodilator drugs and higher age increased the Doppler scores. No association between disease activity and Doppler scores was found in patients with long-standing disease.
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