Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42805636›Full record

ArticleRMD open2026

Partial bone erosion repair is independently associated with functional improvement in early rheumatoid arthritis: a 2-year prospective high-resolution peripheral quantitative CT (HR-pQCT) longitudinal study.

Qihan Wu, Sze-Lok Lau, Isaac T Cheng, Tin Yuet Chan, James Griffith, Yan Kitty Kwok, Jack Jw Lee, Ka Lai Violet Lee, Ling Qin, Vivian Hung and 6 more

Abstract read
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Article in RMD open, 2026. 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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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

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0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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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

16 authors.

Qihan WuMedicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0006-6898-8045
Sze-Lok LauMedicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Isaac T ChengMedicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5074-2948
Tin Yuet ChanMedicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
James GriffithDepartment of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Yan Kitty KwokMedicine, Queen Elizebeth Hospital, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Jack Jw LeeCenter for Clinical Research and Biostatistics, Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Ka Lai Violet LeeDepartment of Medicine, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Ling QinBone Quality and Health Centre of Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Vivian HungBone Quality and Health Centre of Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Chun Kwok WongChemical Pathology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Cheuk Wan Isaac YimMedicine, Tseung Kwan O Hospital, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
King Yee Shirley YingMedicine & Geriatrics, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Wei-Chuan YuDepartment of Electronic and Computer Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Ho SoMedicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong hoso@cuhk.edu.hk.
Lai-Shan TamDepartment of Medicine & Therapeutics, Chinese University of Hong Kong Shaw College, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo determine whether change in bone erosion volume detected by high-resolution peripheral quantitative CT (HR-pQCT) is independently associated with functional outcome in early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA).

methodsIn this prospective study, 101 patients with ERA received 2-year tight-control treatment aiming at Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI) remission (SDAI ≤3.3). HR-pQCT of the second to fourth metacarpophalangeal joints was performed at baseline and at month 24 to quantify erosion parameters. Partial erosion repair was defined as a reduction of at least one erosion count or a decrease in total erosion volume exceeding the least significant change; progression was defined conversely. Functional status was assessed using the Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI).

resultsAfter 2 years, disease activity and HAQ-DI improved significantly (all p<0.001) in paired analyses (n=98). Sixteen (16.3%) patients showed partial erosion repair and 38 (38.8%) erosion progression. In the partial erosion repair group, reduction in total erosion volume correlated strongly with HAQ-DI improvement (ρ=0.719, p=0.003). This association remained significant in linear regression analyses (β=0.607, p=0.003) independent of the contribution from change in SDAI (β=0.453, p=0.018). By contrast, among erosion progressors, change in HAQ-DI was primarily driven by improvement in SDAI (β=0.755, p<0.001). Baseline swollen joint count was associated with erosion progression in univariate analysis (OR 1.177, 95% CI 1.026 to 1.349, p=0.020) and after adjustment for sex (OR 1.171, 95% CI 1.019 to 1.346, p=0.026).

conclusionHR-pQCT-detected partial repair of bone erosion was independently associated with functional improvement beyond inflammation control.

Indexed as

Arthritis, RheumatoidTomography, X-Ray ComputedAdultAgedAntirheumatic AgentsDisease ProgressionFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesSeverity of Illness IndexTreatment OutcomeAntirheumatic AgentsArthritis, RheumatoidInflammationTreatment

Identifiers

PMID42805636
PMCPMC13629899

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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.