Application of high frequency color Doppler ultrasound in the monitoring of rheumatoid arthritis treatment.
The aim of the present study was to explore the use of high frequency color Doppler ultrasound to measure synovial thickness and blood flow to assess the therapeutic value of the recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (TNF) II receptor antibody fusion protein in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment. A total of 36 clinically-diagnosed patients with RA were treated with methotrexate tablets or the recombinant TNF-receptor antibody fusion protein for 24 weeks. Joint synovial thickness and synovial blood flow integrity were monitored by high frequency color Doppler in the second metacarpophalangeal joint in one hand. The correlation of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein (CRP) and 28-joint disease activity score (DAS28) with the ultrasound parameters were analyzed. Metacarpophalangeal second joint 2 (MCP2) synovial thickness, wrist joint synovial thickness and MCP2 synovial blood flow, prior and subsequent to the treatment, have a high correlation with DAS28 (P<0.05), and the MCP2 synovial blood flow integral has a strong correlation with CRP. Evaluating the wrist joint synovial thickness and synovial integrity of the second metacarpophalangeal joint using high frequency ultrasound detection can effectively evaluate the disease status in patients with RA. This procedure is potentially valuable as a means of evaluating the curative effects of RA treatments.
Department of Rheumatology, Hebei Province General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050051, P.R. China.
Guimin
G
Zheng
Department of Medicine Imaging, Hebei Province General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050051, P.R. China.
Lei
L
Wang
Department of Medicine Imaging, Hebei Province General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050051, P.R. China.
Xiuchuan
X
Jia
Department of Rheumatology, Hebei Province General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050051, P.R. China.
Fang
F
Li
Department of Rheumatology, Hebei Province General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050051, P.R. China.
Yonglong
Y
Yan
Department of Rheumatology, Hebei Province General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050051, P.R. China.
Zhibo
Z
Yu
Department of Ultrasound Imaging, Hebei Province General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050051, P.R. China.
Li
L
Li
Department of Nosocomial Infection Control, Hebei Province General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050051, P.R. China.
Qun
Q
Wei
Department of Rheumatology, Hebei Province General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050051, P.R. China.
Fengxiao
F
Zhang
Doppler ultrasound; high frequency ultrasound; metacarpophalangeal joint; rheumatoid arthritis; score of disease activity; wrist joint