title: The power Doppler ultrasonography score from 24 synovial sites or 6 simplified synovial sites, including the metacarpophalangeal joints, reflects the clinical disease activity and level of serum biomarkers in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the significance of the power Doppler ultrasonography (PDUS) score by comparing it with serum biomarkers and clinical disease activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured the PDUS scores of 24 synovial sites in 12 joints in 22 RA patients. For convenience, the PDUS scores of six synovial sites in six joints were also examined. Each joint was scored for a power Doppler (PD) signal on a scale from 0 to 3. The PDUS scores are the sums of the PD signal scores for the 24 synovial sites or the 6 synovial sites. On the same day, serum variables as well as clinical disease activity were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PDUS scores from the 24 joint sites were significantly positively correlated with DAS of 28 joints (DAS-28), simplified disease activity index (SDAI), clinical disease activity index (CDAI) and serum biomarkers including MMP-3, VEGF and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1). Accordingly, the PDUS scores from the six synovial sites greatly correlated with those from the 24 joint sites. Clinical disease activities as well as serum variables were also clearly correlated with the PDUS scores from the six synovial sites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The standard as well as the simplified PDUS scores well reflected clinical disease activity and serum variables, including angiogenic factors. Our data reaffirm the utility of ultrasonography for monitoring disease activity in patients with RA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Shin-ya
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kawashiri
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Iwamoto
authors.forename: Keita
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujikawa
authors.forename: Katsuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Satoh
authors.forename: Mami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamai
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Akitomo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koga
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamasaki
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ida
authors.forename: Tomoki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Origuchi
authors.forename: Katsumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eguchi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents / Q000097:blood; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 / Q000097:blood; D008662:Metacarpophalangeal Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000097:blood; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
chemical_list: D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3