RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Implementation of Z-Scores as an Age- and Sex-independent Parameter for Estimating Joint Space Widths in Rheumatoid Arthritis
JF The Journal of Rheumatology
JO J Rheumatol
FD The Journal of Rheumatology
SP 717
OP 723
DO 10.3899/jrheum.080651
VO 36
IS 4
A1 ALEXANDER PFEIL
A1 MAX L. SCHÄFER
A1 GABRIELE LEHMANN
A1 BETTINA E. SEIDL
A1 THORSTEN EIDNER
A1 ANSGAR MALICH
A1 DIANE M. RENZ
A1 PETER OELZNER
A1 ANDREAS HANSCH
A1 GUNTER WOLF
A1 GERT HEIN
A1 WERNER A. KAISER
A1 JOACHIM BÖTTCHER
YR 2009
UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/36/4/717.abstract
AB Objective. To compare normative data of joint space distances (JSD) with the JSD of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as measured by computer-aided joint space analysis (CAJSA) at the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) articulations, and to differentiate age- and sex-related alterations from the disease-related joint space narrowing. Methods. In total, 256 healthy subjects and 248 patients with verified RA (following revised ACR criteria) underwent computerized semiautomated measurements of JSD (CAJSA, version 1.3.6) at the MCP articulation (JSD-MCP) based on digital radiographs. The Z-score, a comparative parameter that differentiates joint space alterations caused by RA-related cartilage destruction from age- and sex-related changes, was calculated. Results. Our data showed a relationship between measured joint space widths (MCP total and MCP thumb to little finger) and age for healthy subjects and also the RA group. The RA group revealed an age-related joint space narrowing that was surpassed by the RA-related narrowing of joint space widths classified by Sharp joint space narrowing score and resulting in smaller Z-scores for RA patients. Conclusion. The CAJSA technique seems to distinguish age-related JSD changes in healthy volunteers from RA-induced alterations. In addition the Z-score was also able to differentiate RA-dependent narrowing of JSD. Calculation of the Z-scores based on sex- and age-specific reference data may facilitate earlier identification of patients with RA, allowing initiation of a more optimal, individually adapted therapeutic strategy.