PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - York Kiat Tan
AU  - John C. Allen Jr.
AU  - Weng Kit Lye
AU  - Philip G. Conaghan
AU  - Maria Antonietta D’Agostino
AU  - Li-Ching Chew
AU  - Julian Thumboo
TI  - Novel Ultrasound Joint Selection Methods Using a Reduced Joint Number Demonstrate Inflammatory Improvement when Compared to Existing Methods and Disease Activity Score at 28 Joints
AID  - 10.3899/jrheum.150590
DP  - 2016 Jan 01
TA  - The Journal of Rheumatology
PG  - 34--37
VI  - 43
IP  - 1
4099  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/43/1/34.short
4100  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/43/1/34.full
SO  - J Rheumatol2016 Jan 01; 43
AB  - Objective. A pilot study testing novel ultrasound (US) joint-selection methods in rheumatoid arthritis.Methods. Responsiveness of novel [individualized US (IUS) and individualized composite US (ICUS)] methods were compared with existing US methods and the Disease Activity Score at 28 joints (DAS28) for 12 patients followed for 3 months. IUS selected up to 7 and 12 most ultrasonographically inflamed joints, while ICUS additionally incorporated clinically symptomatic joints.Results. The existing, IUS, and ICUS methods’ standardized response means were −0.39, −1.08, and −1.11, respectively, for 7 joints; −0.49, −1.00, and −1.16, respectively, for 12 joints; and −0.94 for DAS28.Conclusion. Novel methods effectively demonstrate inflammatory improvement when compared with existing methods and DAS28.