TY - JOUR T1 - 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 JF - The Journal of Rheumatology JO - J Rheumatol DO - 10.3899/jrheum.150590 SP - jrheum.150590 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 Y1 - 2015/12/01 UR - http://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2015/11/25/jrheum.150590.abstract N2 - 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. ER -