title: [Radiologic progression of rheumatoid arthritis in early basic drug therapy].
abstract: For therapy and follow-up control in early disease modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) treated rheumatoid arthritis (RA), objective quantification is still lacking. Therefore, radiological analyses are considered the most appropriate method. One aim of this study was to retrospectively determine the time-dependent progression of joint damage in RA patients on DMARDs. Outpatient records and radiographs from hands and feet of 54 RA patients on DMARDs were evaluated. Radiographs were quantified by using the original Larsen score and a newly developed computer-assisted quantification software. Our observations showed that radiologically-detectable damage in all patients, regardless of their treatment, is most pronounced during the first year of disease, being mitigated and generally progressing linearly in the subsequent years. Cumulative ESR correlated with RA progression, and its reduction with therapeutic efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Hospital, Unit of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wick
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kainberger
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Smolen
mesh_terms: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D018450:Disease Progression; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005531:Foot Deformities, Acquired / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006227:Hand Deformities, Acquired / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents