Changes in clinical outcomes, inflammation markers, and MRI characteristics after infliximab and methotrexate treatment or NSAID monotherapy. Variables are expressed as median (range) unless otherwise noted.
| Variables | IFX + MTX, n = 9 | NSAID, n = 9 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before | After | Before | After | |
| Time between MRI, mos | — | 5 (2.3–11) | — | 7 (3–30) |
| Clinical outcomes | ||||
| Pain score | 3 (1–9) | 0 (0–2)** | 1 (0–3) | 3.5 (0–5) |
| Patient/parent global assessment | 2 (1–9) | 0 (0–1)** | 0 (0–1) | 1 (1–3) |
| Physician global assessment | 2 (1–4) | 0 (0–0)** | 2 (0–3) | 1 (0–2) |
| CHAQ | 0.25 (0–0.875) | 0 (0–0)* | 0.38 (0–0.75) | 0.38 (0–1.25) |
| Inflammation markers | ||||
| ESR, mm/h | 15 (4–58) | 5 (0–13)* | 17 (0–115) | 16 (4–59) |
| CRP, mg/dl | 0.8 (0.5–3.5) | 0.5 (0–0.9)* | 0.7 (0.2–25.8) | 0.5 (0.1–1.6) |
| MRI characteristics | ||||
| Unique inflammatory lesions, n | 2 (1–12) | 2 (0–4)* | 4 (1–10) | 4 (1–12) |
| Nonvertebral lesions, n | 2 (0–12) | 1 (0–3)* | 3 (1–10) | 4 (1–12) |
| Maximum bone edema score (0–3) | 2 (1–3) | 1 (0–3)* | 2 (1–3) | 2 (0–3) |
| Maximum STI score (0–3) | 0 (0–3) | 0 (0–1) | 1 (0–3) | 0 (0–1)* |
| PR present, no. patients | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Hyperostosis, no. patients | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GPI presence, no. patients | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Maximum GPI severity score (0–2) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| VC presence, no. patients | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Maximum VC severity score (0–2) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Arthritis presence, no. patients | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
↵* p < 0.05.
↵** p < 0.01 compared with value before treatment. CHAQ: Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire; ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate; CRP: C-reactive protein; IFX: infliximab; MTX: methotrexate; NSAID: nonsteroid antiinflammatory drug; STI: soft tissue inflammation; PR: periosteal reaction; GPI: growth plate involvement; VC: vertebral compression; MRI: magnetic resonance imaging.