title: Persistence of enthesopathic changes in patients with spondylarthropathy during a 6-month follow-up.
abstract: The persistence of enthesopathic changes was studied by ultrasound (US) in 23 patients with spondylarthropathy during a 6-month prospective trial with sulphasalazine (Salazopyrin). During the follow-up significant improvement was seen in the joint symptoms and in the laboratory variables. By US 78% of the patients had enthesopathy at entry and 74% after 6 months of follow-up. The plantar fascia was the enthesis most frequently affected. Treatment with sulphasalazine had no obvious influence on the persistence of enthesopathy. Enthesopathy is as a rule a constant phenomenon and is probably caused by chronic enthesitis. A parallel resolution of anatomic soft tissue changes and the clinical status was not seen on US. There was also no evidence of a favourable effect of sulphasalazine on enthesopathy in the 6-month follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lehtinen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leirisalo-Repo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taavitsainen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002111:Calcaneus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology; D007596:Joints / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012460:Sulfasalazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013710:Tendons / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D012460:Sulfasalazine