title: Effects of leflunomide and methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis detected by digital X-ray radiogrammetry and computer-aided joint space analysis.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of long-term leflunomide and methotrexate (MTX) therapy during the course of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) estimated by digital X-ray radiogrammetry (DXR) and computer-aided joint space analysis (CAJSA) as diagnostic tools for the quantification of disease-related periarticular osteoporosis and joint space narrowing. Fourty matchable patients with verified RA were treated with leflunomide or MTX during an observation period of 2.5 years. All patients underwent complete computerized calculations of bone mineral density (BMD) and metacarpal index (MCI) by DXR as well as semi-automated measurements of joint space widths (JSW) at the metacarpophalangeal articulations (MCP, thumb to small finger) and proximal interphalangeal joints (PIP, index finger to small finger) using digitized hand radiographs. DXR-BMD revealed an increase of 0.4% (leflunomide-group) versus a reduction of -9.1% (MTX-group). Regarding DXR-MCI, a reduction of -1.1% (leflunomide-group) and -5.3% (MTX-group) was observed. The CAJSA parameters showed a decline of -2.7% (JSW-MCP) versus -2.1% (JSW-PIP) in patients treated with leflunomide. An accentuated joint space narrowing was revealed (JSW-MCP: -5.7%; JSW-PIP: -6.2%) in the MTX group. Digital X-ray radiogrammetry and CAJSA could discriminate the influence of different therapeutic regimes on periarticular osteoporosis and joint space narrowing showing a less accentuated radiographic progression in patients treated with leflunomide.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pfeil
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lippold
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eidner
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lehmann
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oelzner
authors.forename: Diane M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Renz
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hansch
authors.forename: Gunter
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Gert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hein
authors.forename: Werner A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Kaiser
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Böttcher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015519:Bone Density; D005260:Female; D005384:Finger Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D007555:Isoxazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077339:Leflunomide; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008662:Metacarpophalangeal Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D007555:Isoxazoles; D000077339:Leflunomide; D008727:Methotrexate
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