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OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a vertebral corner that demonstrates an active corner inflammatory lesion (CIL) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is more likely to evolve into a de novo syndesmophyte visible on plain radiography than is a vertebral corner that demonstrates no active inflammation on MRI. METHODS: MRI scans and plain radiographs were obtained for 29 patients recruited into randomized placebo-controlled trials of anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (anti-TNFalpha) therapy. MRI was conducted at baseline, 12 or 24 weeks (n = 29), and 2 years (n = 22), while radiography was conducted at baseline and 2 years. A persistent CIL was defined as a CIL that was found on all available scans. A resolved CIL was defined as having completely disappeared on either the second or third scan. A validation cohort consisted of 41 AS patients followed up prospectively. Anonymized MRIs were assessed independently by 3 readers who were blinded with regard to radiographic findings. RESULTS: New syndesmophytes developed significantly more frequently in vertebral corners with inflammation (20%) than in those without inflammation (5.1%) seen on baseline MRI (P

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of adalimumab versus placebo in reducing spinal and sacroiliac (SI) joint inflammation, by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS). METHODS: This was a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Patients (n = 82) received 40 mg adalimumab or placebo every other week during an initial 24-week double-blind period. MRIs of both the spine and SI joints were obtained at baseline, week 12, and week 52. Spinal and SI joint inflammation were measured using the Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada (SPARCC) MRI index. RESULTS: The spine SPARCC score in placebo-treated patients increased by a mean of 9.4% from baseline, compared with a mean decrease of 53.6% in adalimumab-treated patients (P < 0.001); the SI joint SPARCC score decreased by a mean of 12.7% from baseline in placebo-treated patients and by 52.9% in adalimumab-treated patients (P = 0.017). The response in adalimumab-treated patients was maintained at week 52. Placebo-treated patients were switched to open-label adalimumab treatment at week 24 and experienced similar reductions in spinal and SI joint inflammation by week 52. Similar large reductions in the spine and SI joint SPARCC scores were noted, even in patients who failed to meet the ASsessment in Ankylosing Spondylitis (International Working Group) criteria (nonresponders) at 12 weeks. In adalimumab-treated patients, a reduced C-reactive protein concentration at week 12 was significantly associated with improvement in the spine SPARCC score (P = 0.018). CONCLUSION: Adalimumab significantly reduced both spinal and SI joint inflammation in patients with active AS after 12 weeks of treatment, and these improvements were maintained for up to 52 weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of fluoroscopically guided corticosteroid injection for hip osteoarthritis (OA) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. METHODS: Fifty-two patients with symptomatic hip OA were randomly allocated to receive placebo (10 mg bipuvicaine, 2 ml saline) (n = 21) or corticosteroid treatment (10 mg bipuvicaine, 40 mg triamcinolone hexacetonide) (n = 31). Patients were followed up for 1, 2, 3, and 6 months. The primary outcome measure was the pain improvement response, defined as a 20% decrease in the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities OA Index (WOMAC) pain score (on 5 100-mm visual analog scales [VAS]) (WOMAC20) from baseline to 2 months postinjection. Secondary outcomes were a 50% decrease in the WOMAC pain score (WOMAC50), changes in other WOMAC subscale scores, patient's global assessment of health (on a 100-mm VAS), and Short Form 36 (SF-36) quality of life indices. Analyses were based on the intent-to-treat principle. RESULTS: The mean WOMAC pain score fell 49.2% (decreasing from 310.1 mm to 157.4 mm) at 2 months postinjection in patients receiving corticosteroid, compared with a decrease of 2.5% (from 314.3 mm to 306.5 mm) in the placebo group (P < 0.0001). The proportion of WOMAC20 responders at 2 months' followup was significantly higher in the corticosteroid group (67.7%) compared with the placebo group (23.8%) (P = 0.004); similar proportions of WOMAC50 responders were observed between groups (61.3% in the corticosteroid group versus 14.3% in the placebo group; P = 0.001). Response differences were maintained at 3 months' followup (58.1% responders in the corticosteroid group versus 9.5% responders in the placebo group; P = 0.004). Significant differences in the WOMAC stiffness and physical function scores (P < 0.0001), patient's global health scores (P = 0.005), and SF-36 physical component scores (P = 0.04) were observed, with patients in the corticosteroid group showing greater improvements. There were no differences in the frequency of adverse events between groups. CONCLUSION: This placebo-controlled trial confirms that corticosteroid injection can be an effective treatment of pain in hip OA, with benefits lasting up to 3 months in many cases. Future studies should address questions related to the benefits of repeated steroid injection and the effects of this treatment on disease modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most vertebral compression fractures are not recognized or treated. We conducted a controlled trial in older patients with vertebral fractures incidentally reported on chest radiographs, comparing usual care with osteoporosis interventions directed at physicians (opinion-leader-endorsed evidence summaries and reminders) or physicians+patients (adding activation with leaflets and telephone counseling). Methods: Patients aged >60 years who were discharged home from emergency departments and who had vertebral fractures reported but were not treated for osteoporosis were allocated to usual care (control) or physician intervention using alternate-week time series. After 3 months, untreated controls were re-allocated to physician+patient intervention. Allocation was concealed, outcomes ascertainment blinded, and analyses intent-to-treat. Primary outcome was starting osteoporosis treatment within 3 months. Results: There were 1315 consecutive patients screened, and 240 allocated to control (n=123) or physician intervention (n=117). Groups were similar at baseline (average age 74 years, 45% female, 58% previous fractures). Compared with controls, physician interventions significantly (all P <.001) increased osteoporosis treatment (20 [17%] vs 2 [2%]), bone mineral density testing (51 [44%] vs 5 [4%]), and bone mineral density testing or treatment (57 [49%] vs 7 [6%]). Three months after controls were re-allocated to physician+patient interventions, 22% had started treatment and 65% had bone mineral density testing or treatment (P <.001 vs controls). Physician+patient interventions increased bone mineral density testing or treatment an additional 16% compared with physician interventions (P=.01). Conclusions: An opinion-leader-based intervention targeting physicians substantially improved rates of bone mineral density testing and osteoporosis treatment in patients with incidental vertebral fractures, compared with usual care. Even better osteoporosis management was achieved by adding patient activation to physician interventions [NCT00388908]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]