RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Clinical Relevance of Axial Radiographic Damage in Axial Spondyloarthritis: Evaluation of Functional Consequences by an Objective Electronic Device
JF The Journal of Rheumatology
JO J Rheumatol
FD The Journal of Rheumatology
SP jrheum.2022-1240
DO 10.3899/jrheum.2022-1240
A1 David Kiefer
A1 Jürgen Braun
A1 Varvara Chatzistefanidi
A1 Uta Kiltz
A1 Daniela Adolf
A1 Ilka Schwarze
A1 Maria Kabelitz
A1 Uwe Lange
A1 Jan Brandt-Jürgens
A1 Edgar Stemmler
A1 Sabine Sartingen
A1 Xenofon Baraliakos
YR 2023
UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2023/05/10/jrheum.2022-1240.abstract
AB Objective Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is associated with decreased function and mobility of patients as a result of inflammation and radiographic damage. The Epionics SPINE device (ES), an electronic device that objectively measures spinal mobility, including range of motion (RoM) and speed (ie, range of kinematics [RoK]) of movement, has been clinically validated in axSpA. We investigated the performance of the ES relative to radiographic damage in the axial skeleton of patients with axSpA. Methods A total of 103 patients with axSpA, 31 with nonradiographic axSpA (nr-axSpA) and 72 with radiographic axSpA (r-axSpA), were consecutively examined. Conventional radiographs of the spine (including presence, number, and location of syndesmophytes) and the sacroiliac joints (SIJs; rated by the modified New York criteria) were analyzed with the ES. Function and mobility were assessed using analyses of covariance and Spearman correlation. Results The number of syndesmophytes correlated positively with Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index scores (r 0.38, P = 0.02) and correlated negatively with chest expansion (r –0.39, P = 0.02) and ES measurements (–0.53 ≤ r ≤ –0.34, all P < 0.03), except for RoM and RoK regarding rotation and RoK for extension of the lumbar and thoracic spines. In the radiographic evaluation of the SIJs, the extent of damage correlated negatively with ES scores and metric measurements (–0.49 ≤ r ≤ –0.33, all P < 0.001). Patients with r-axSpA, as compared to those with nr-axSpA, showed significantly worse ES scores for RoM, RoK, and chest expansion. Conclusion The ES scores, in accordance with mobility measurements, correlated well with the presence and extent of radiographic damage in the spine and the SIJs. As expected, patients with r-axSpA had more severe impairments than those with nr-axSpA.