Effect of Age on Active and Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging Lesions in Sacroiliac Joints of Healthy Individuals and Patients With Nonspecific Back Pain

U. Weber, MD, Medical Centre Zenit, Department of Rheumatology, Schaffhausen, Switzerland.
S. Seven, MD, PhD, Copenhagen Center for Arthritis Research (COPECARE), Center for Rheumatology and Spine Diseases, Centre for Head and Orthopaedics, Rigshospitalet, Glostrup, Denmark.
S.J. Pedersen, MD, PhD, Copenhagen Center for Arthritis Research (COPECARE), Center for Rheumatology and Spine Diseases, Centre for Head and Orthopaedics, Rigshospitalet, Glostrup, and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
M. Østergaard, MD, PhD, DMSc, Copenhagen Center for Arthritis Research (COPECARE), Center for Rheumatology and Spine Diseases, Centre for Head and Orthopaedics, Rigshospitalet, Glostrup, and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
P.M. Machado, MD, PhD, Centre for Rheumatology and Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, University College London, and National Institute for Health Research University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Department of Rheumatology, Northwick Park Hospital, London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK.
S. Wichuk, BA, Department of Medicine, and Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
X. Baraliakos, MD, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, Herne, and Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
R.G.W. Lambert, MB BCh, Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
W.P. Maksymowych, MB ChB, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

CONTRIBUTIONS: UW: writing – first draft. All authors were involved in the conception and design of the study and in data analysis and interpretation. All authors contributed to revising the manuscript critically for important intellectual content, and all authors approved the final version to be published. UW had access to all data and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.
FUNDING: No specific funding was received from any bodies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors to carry out the work described in this article.
COMPETING INTERESTS: The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to this article.
ETHICS AND PATIENT CONSENT: Local ethical committee approval had been obtained for all cohorts, and all study subjects had provided written informed consent at enrollment. ASAS-CC was considered to not require ethical approval for the post-hoc MRI analysis. MASH received approval from the Ethical Committee of the Capital Region of Denmark (H-2-2013-019). MORPHO received approval from the Kantonale Ethikkommission Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland and Health Research Ethics Board of the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
DATA AVAILABILITY: The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article.
SUPPLEMENTARY DATA: Supplementary material accompanies the online version of this article.
Accepted for publication January 16, 2025.

Address correspondence to Dr. U. Weber, Medical Centre Zenit, Department of Rheumatology, Bleicheplatz 3, CH-8200 Schaffhausen, Switzerland. Email: ulrich.weber02@bluewin.ch.