Ultrasound characterization of ankle involvement in Löfgren syndrome.
Bilateral ankle arthritis is a classic diagnostic criterion for Löfgren syndrome. The objective of this study was to use ultrasonography to characterize the articular and periarticular involvement of the ankles in patients with Löfgren syndrome.



Multicenter descriptive cohort study of patients with Löfgren syndrome who underwent ultrasonography of the ankles. We collected clinical data, imaging study findings, blood test results, and joint fluid properties in patients who underwent joint aspiration.



Findings from ultrasonography of the ankles in 40 patients were analyzed. The most common B-mode abnormality was subcutaneous edema (26/40), followed by tenosynovitis (22/40), with no differences in frequency across compartments. Joint involvement manifested as synovitis in 7 patients and effusion in 10 patients. Synovitis with increased vascularity by power Doppler was found in 3 patients. No statistically significant associations were found linking synovitis or tenosynovitis to clinical features (age and gender), laboratory tests, or imaging study findings.



Contrary to the classical view, our results indicate that ankle involvement in Löfgren syndrome is more often abarticular than articular. The inclusion of bilateral ankle arthritis among the diagnostic criteria for Löfgren syndrome deserves reappraisal.
Service de rhumatologie, CHU de Rennes, hôpital Sud, 16, boulevard de Bulgarie, BP 90347, 35203 Rennes cedex 2, France. Electronic address: claire.goussault@gmail.com.
Claire
C
Goussault
Service de rhumatologie, CHU de Rennes, hôpital Sud, 16, boulevard de Bulgarie, BP 90347, 35203 Rennes cedex 2, France.
Jean-David
JD
Albert
Service de rhumatologie, CHU de Rennes, hôpital Sud, 16, boulevard de Bulgarie, BP 90347, 35203 Rennes cedex 2, France.
Guillaume
G
Coiffier
Cabinet de rhumatologie, 21, boulevard Franklin-Roosevelt, 35000 Rennes, France.
François
F
Lamer
Service de radiologie, CHU de Rennes, hôpital Sud, 16, boulevard de Bulgarie, BP 90347, 35203 Rennes cedex 2, France.
Raphaël
R
Guillin
Service de rhumatologie, Hôtel-Dieu, CHU de Nantes, 1, place Alexis-Ricordeau, 44093 Nantes cedex 01, France.
Benoit
B
Le Goff
Service de rhumatologie, CHU d'Angers, 4, rue Larrey, 49933 Angers cedex 9, France.
Béatrice
B
Bouvard
Service de rhumatologie, centre hospitalier du Mans, 194, avenue Rubillard, 72000 Le Mans, France.
Emmanuelle
E
Dernis
Service de rhumatologie, CH de Vannes, 20, boulevard Général-Maurice-Guillaudot, 56000 Vannes, France.
Marine
M
Ferreyra
Service de rhumatologie, CHD Vendée, boulevard Stéphane-Moreau, 85925 La-Roche-sur-Yon cedex 9, France.
Grégoire
G
Cormier
Service de rhumatologie, CHU de Rennes, hôpital Sud, 16, boulevard de Bulgarie, BP 90347, 35203 Rennes cedex 2, France.
Pascal
P
Guggenbuhl
Service de rhumatologie, CHU de Rennes, hôpital Sud, 16, boulevard de Bulgarie, BP 90347, 35203 Rennes cedex 2, France.
Aleth
A
Perdriger
D000328:Adult; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001168:Arthritis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D004487:Edema / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D013577:Syndrome; D013717:Tenosynovitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult
Abarticular rheumatism; Ankle; Arthritis; Löfgren syndrome; Ultrasonography