Editorial Material
Rheumatology
Denis Poddubnyy, Torsten Diekhoff, Xenofon Baraliakos, Kay Geert A. Hermann, Joachim Sieper
Summary: This article discusses whether MRI can replace radiographs for diagnostic evaluation and classification of axial spondyloarthritis, and provides answers to specific questions based on current data.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Keno K. Bressem, Lisa C. Adams, Fabian Proft, Kay Geert A. Hermann, Torsten Diekhoff, Laura Spiller, Stefan M. Niehues, Marcus R. Makowski, Bernd Hamm, Mikhail Protopopov, Valeria Rios Rodriguez, Hildurn Haibel, Judith Rademacher, Murat Torgutalp, Robert G. Lambert, Xenofon Baraliakos, Walter P. Maksymowych, Janis L. Vahldiek, Denis Poddubnyy
Summary: This study developed a deep neural network to detect changes in the sacroiliac joints indicative of axial spondyloarthritis on MRI. The results showed that the neural network had high accuracy in detecting inflammatory and structural changes.
Article
Rheumatology
Victoria Navarro-Compan, Diego Benavent, Dafne Capelusnik, Desiree van der Heijde, Robert B. M. Landewe, Denis Poddubnyy, Astrid van Tubergen, Xenofon Baraliakos, Filip E. van den Bosch, Floris A. van Gaalen, Lianne Gensler, Clementina Lopez-Medina, Helena Marzo-Ortega, Anna Molto, Rodolfo Perez-Alamino, Martin Rudwaleit, Marleen van de Sande, Raj Sengupta, Ulrich Weber, Sofia Ramiro
Summary: This study developed a consensual definition for 'early axial spondyloarthritis-axSpA' and 'early peripheral spondyloarthritis-pSpA' through a systematic literature review and Delphi survey. The results indicated that early axSpA should be based on symptom duration only, without considering the presence of radiographic damage.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Biology
Anca Emanuela Musetescu, Anca Bobirca, Florin Liviu Gherghina, Alesandra Florescu, Florin Bobirca, Paulina Lucia Ciurea, Cristina Criveanu, Alice Musca, Lucian Mihai Florescu, Ioana Andreea Gheonea
Summary: This study aimed to assess the performance of rheumatologists in interpreting inflammatory and structural damage to sacroiliac joints in axSpA patients, compared to radiologists. The results showed substantial agreement between senior and junior radiologists, as well as between senior radiologists and senior rheumatologists, while moderate agreement was observed with junior rheumatologists.
Article
Rheumatology
Alexandre Sepriano, Sofia Ramiro, Robert Landewe, Anna Molto, Pascal Claudepierre, Daniel Wendling, Maxime Dougados, Desiree van der Heijde
Summary: The study found a predictive and longitudinal association between inflammation detected on MRI and several types of structural damage detected on MRI in patients with early axial SpA, which adds to the evidence for a causal relationship.
ARTHRITIS CARE & RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Rheumatology
Victoria Navarro-Compan, Anne Boel, Annelies Boonen, Philip J. Mease, Maxime Dougados, Uta Kiltz, Robert B. M. Landewe, Xenofon Baraliakos, Wilson Bautista-Molano, Praveena Chiowchanwisawakit, Hanne Dagfinrud, Lara Fallon, Marco Garrido-Cumbrera, Lianne Gensler, Bassel Kamal ElZorkany, Nigil Haroon, Yu Heng Kwan, Pedro M. Machado, Walter Maksymowych, Anna Molto, Natasha de Peyrecave, Denis Poddubnyy, Mikhail Protopopov, Sofia Ramiro, In-Ho Song, Salima van Weely, Desiree van der Heijde
Summary: This study aims to define the instruments for the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society-Outcomes Measures in Rheumatology core domain set for axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). The study selected core outcome instruments through a systematic literature review and assessment of the instruments' psychometric properties. Additionally, the study endorsed additional instruments to enhance the evaluation of axSpA trials.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Sofia Ramiro, Elena Nikiphorou, Alexandre Sepriano, Augusta Ortolan, Casper Webers, Xenofon Baraliakos, Robert B. M. Landewe, Filip E. Van den Bosch, Boryana Boteva, Ann Bremander, Philippe Carron, Adrian Ciurea, Floris A. van Gaalen, Pal Geher, Lianne Gensler, Josef Hermann, Manouk de Hooge, Marketa Husakova, Uta Kiltz, Clementina Lopez-Medina, Pedro M. Machado, Helena Marzo-Ortega, Anna Molto, Victoria Navarro-Compan, Michael J. Nissen, Fernando M. Pimentel-Santos, Denis Poddubnyy, Fabian Proft, Martin Rudwaleit, Mark Telkman, Sizheng Steven Zhao, Nelly Ziade, Desiree van der Heijde
Summary: The ASAS-EULAR recommendations provide updated guidance on the management of axial spondyloarthritis, including treatment targets, non-pharmacological interventions, and the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as the first-line pharmacological treatment. For patients with comorbidities, the use of biological and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (b/tsDMARDs) is recommended. The recommendations also cover the management of extramusculoskeletal manifestations, tapering of bDMARDs, and surgical interventions.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Thomas Renson, Philippe Carron, Ann-Sophie De Craemer, Liselotte Deroo, Manouk de Hooge, Simon Krabbe, Lennart Jans, Min Chen, Mikkel Ostergaard, Filip E. Van den Bosch, Dirk Elewaut
Summary: A high prevalence of sacroiliitis on MRI was observed in patients with early pSpA, with significant decrease in SPARCC scores on TNF inhibition during clinical remission. Residual inflammation on MRI was not predictive of relapse of peripheral manifestations, and no relevant inflammatory spinal involvement was detected. Our findings suggest a higher inflammatory burden in early pSpA patients than expected.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Dong Liu, Churong Lin, Budian Liu, Jun Qi, Huiquan Wen, Liudan Tu, Qiujing Wei, Qingcong Kong, Ya Xie, Jieruo Gu
Summary: Chemical shift-encoded MRI (CSE-MRI) is a reliable tool to assess the fat metaplasia in the SIJs of axSpA patients. Extensive fat deposition in the SIJs adds incremental diagnostic value to bone marrow edema (BME), but at the cost of decreased specificities.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Churong Lin, Dong Liu, Budian Liu, Jieruo Gu
Summary: This study investigated the distribution pattern of acute and chronic lesions in the sacroiliac joints (SIJ) of patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). The results showed that there was no specific distribution pattern of these lesions in different SIJ sections, except for a higher occurrence rate of erosions in the iliac sections.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GENERAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Rheumatology
V Navarro-Compan, A. Boel, A. Boonen, P. Mease, R. Landewe, U. Kiltz, M. Dougados, X. Baraliakos, W. Bautista-Molano, H. Carlier, P. Chiowchanwisawakit, H. Dagfinrud, N. de Peyrecave, B. El-Zorkany, L. Fallon, K. Gaffney, M. Garrido-Cumbrera, L. S. Gensler, N. Haroon, Y. H. Kwan, P. M. Machado, W. P. Maksymowych, D. Poddubnyy, M. Protopopov, S. Ramiro, B. Shea, Ih Song, S. van Weely, D. van der Heijde
Summary: The core outcome set for ankylosing spondylitis has been updated to the core outcome set for axial spondyloarthritis, with specific domains required for different types of therapy. Mandatory and optional core domains have been defined for all trials in this updated set.
SEMINARS IN ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Liudan Tu, Churong Lin, Ya Xie, Xiaohong Wang, Qiujing Wei, Yanli Zhang, Jieruo Gu
Summary: This study found that patients with radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (r-axSpA) showed more active inflammatory and chronic structural damages on MRI compared to non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) patients, especially in terms of fat metaplasia and ankylosis.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Rheumatology
Juergen Braun, Uta Kiltz, Xenofon Baraliakos
Summary: Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease primarily affecting the axial skeleton, with treatments aimed at reducing new bone formation to slow disease progression.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Ruben Queiro, Sara Alonso, Isla Morante, Mercedes Alperi
Summary: The psychosocial health of patients with axial spondyloarthritis and psoriatic arthritis has a significant impact on quality of life. Disease activity and severity are associated with alterations in psychosocial health, with a greater impact observed in psoriatic arthritis patients.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Ke Zhang, Chaoran Liu, Yunfei Zhu, Wenjuan Li, Ximeng Li, Jing Zheng, Guobin Hong
Summary: The objective of this study was to compare synthetic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with conventional MRI in detecting sacroiliac joint lesions in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and to evaluate the quantitative value of synthetic mapping in bone marrow edema (BME) and fat metaplasia. The results showed that synthetic MRI is as effective as conventional MRI in detecting sacroiliac joint lesions and synthetic mapping can accurately quantify BME and fat metaplasia.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Letter
Rheumatology
Anna Molto, Desiree van der Heijde, Filip E. van den Bosch, Maxime Dougados
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Letter
Rheumatology
Ricardo J. O. Ferreira, Paco M. J. Welsing, Johannes W. G. Jacobs, Laure Gossec, Mwidimi Ndosi, Pedro M. Machado, Desiree van der Heijde, Jose A. P. Da Silva
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Review
Rheumatology
Casper Webers, Augusta Ortolan, Alexandre Sepriano, Louise Falzon, Xenofon Baraliakos, Robert B. M. Landewe, Sofia Ramiro, Desiree van der Heijde, Elena Nikiphorou
Summary: This study aims to provide updated evidence on the efficacy and safety of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) for the revision of management recommendations. The results showed significant efficacy of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) and interleukin-17 inhibitors (IL-17i), while IL-23 inhibitors failed to demonstrate relevant effects. Observational studies are required to confirm the long-term safety of IL-17i.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Casper Webers, Uta Kiltz, Juergen Braun, Desiree van der Heijde, Annelies Boonen
Summary: Treating active SpA improves depressive symptoms, especially with TNF inhibitors (TNFis) which have a stronger effect mainly due to their impact on disease activity.
Article
Rheumatology
Desiree van der Heijde, Atul Deodhar, Xenofon Baraliakos, Matthew A. Brown, Hiroaki Dobashi, Maxime Dougados, Dirk Elewaut, Alicia M. Ellis, Carmen Fleurinck, Karl Gaffney, Lianne S. Gensler, Nigil Haroon, Marina Magrey, Walter P. Maksymowych, Alexander Marten, Ute Massow, Marga Oortgiesen, Denis Poddubnyy, Martin Rudwaleit, Julie Shepherd-Smith, Tetsuya Tomita, Filip van den Bosch, Thomas Vaux, Huji Xu
Summary: The BE MOBILE 1 and BE MOBILE 2 trials demonstrated that bimekizumab, a dual IL-17A and IL-17F inhibitor, improved efficacy outcomes in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and was well tolerated. These findings support the use of bimekizumab as a potential treatment option for axSpA.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Review
Rheumatology
Andreas Kerschbaumer, Alexandre Sepriano, Sytske Anne Bergstra, Josef S. Smolen, Desiree van der Heijde, Roberto Caporali, Christopher John Edwards, Patrick Verschueren, Savia de Souza, Janet E. Pope, Tsutomu Takeuchi, Kimme L. Hyrich, Kevin L. Winthrop, Daniel Aletaha, Tanja A. Stamm, Jan W. Schoones, Robert B. M. Landewe
Summary: This study aimed to update the evidence on the efficacy of DMARDs and provide information for the 2022 update of EULAR recommendations for RA management. A systematic literature review was conducted to investigate the efficacy of cs, b, biosimilar, and tsDMARDs in RA patients. The results showed that csDMARDs combined with short-term glucocorticoids in early RA were as effective as bDMARD+MTX combination therapy. JAK inhibitors were effective in different patient populations. Tapering of DMARDs was feasible for some patients who could maintain low disease activity or achieve remission.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Review
Rheumatology
Alexandre Sepriano, Andreas Kerschbaumer, Sytske Anne Bergstra, Josef S. Smolen, Desiree van der Heijde, Roberto Caporali, Christopher J. Edwards, Patrick Verschueren, Savia de Souza, Janet Pope, Tsutomu Takeuchi, Kimme Hyrich, Kevin L. Winthrop, Daniel Aletaha, Tanja Stamm, Jan W. Schoones, Robert B. M. Landewe
Summary: This study conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) to evaluate the safety of synthetic and biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) for the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The results indicated that bDMARDs were associated with an increased risk of serious infections compared to csDMARDs, while JAK inhibitors (JAKi) showed higher risk of herpes zoster infections. The risks of malignancies, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), and venous thromboembolism (VTE) were similar among different treatments.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Review
Rheumatology
Sytske Anne Bergstra, Alexandre Sepriano, Andreas Kerschbaumer, Desiree van der Heijde, Roberto Caporali, Christopher John Edwards, Patrick Verschueren, Savia de Souza, Janet E. Pope, Tsutomu Takeuchi, Kimme L. Hyrich, Kevin L. Winthrop, Daniel Aletaha, Tanja A. Stamm, Jan W. Schoones, Josef S. Smolen, Robert B. M. Landewe
Summary: This systematic literature review examines the efficacy, duration of use, and safety of glucocorticoids (GCs) in the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The study confirms the effectiveness of GCs in treating RA, with most patients able to stop GCs within 12-24 months. However, the use of GCs also carries well-known safety risks, including osteoporotic fractures, serious infections, diabetes, and mortality.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Sofia Ramiro, Robert Landewe, Desiree van der Heijde, Alexandre Sepriano, Oliver FitzGerald, Mikkel Ostergaard, Joanne Homik, Ori Elkayam, J. Carter Thorne, Maggie J. Larche, Gianfranco Ferraccioli, Marina Backhaus, Gilles Boire, Bernard Combe, Thierry Schaeverbeke, Alain Saraux, Maxime Dougados, Maurizio Rossini, Marcello Govoni, Luigi Sinigaglia, Alain G. Cantagrel, Cornelia F. Allaart, Cheryl Barnabe, Clifton O. Bingham III, Dirkjan van Schaardenburg, Hilde B. Hammer, Rana Dadashova, Edna Hutchings, Joel Paschke, Walter P. Maksymowych
Summary: The study investigates whether meticulously following a treat-to-target (T2T) strategy in daily clinical practice leads to less radiographic progression in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The findings show that a more stringent application of T2T does not result in less radiographic progression compared to a somewhat lenient attitude towards T2T.
Letter
Rheumatology
Sofia Ramiro, Elena Nikiphorou, Alexandre Sepriano, Augusta Ortolan, Casper Webers, Xenofon Baraliakos, Robert B. M. Landewe, Desiree van der Heijde
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Victoria Navarro-Compan, Diego Benavent, Dafne Capelusnik, Desiree van der Heijde, Robert B. M. Landewe, Denis Poddubnyy, Astrid van Tubergen, Xenofon Baraliakos, Filip E. van den Bosch, Floris A. van Gaalen, Lianne Gensler, Clementina Lopez-Medina, Helena Marzo-Ortega, Anna Molto, Rodolfo Perez-Alamino, Martin Rudwaleit, Marleen van de Sande, Raj Sengupta, Ulrich Weber, Sofia Ramiro
Summary: This study developed a consensual definition for 'early axial spondyloarthritis-axSpA' and 'early peripheral spondyloarthritis-pSpA' through a systematic literature review and Delphi survey. The results indicated that early axSpA should be based on symptom duration only, without considering the presence of radiographic damage.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Correction
Rheumatology
Atul Deodhar, Denis Poddubnyy, Proton Rahman, Jeorg Ermann, Tetsuya Tomita, Rebeca Bolce, Soyi Liu Leage, Andris Kronbergs, Caroline Johnson, Joana Araujo, Ann Leung, Desiree van der Heijde
JOURNAL OF RHEUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Rosalinde Stal, Sofia Ramiro, Xenofon Baraliakos, Juergen Braun, Monique Reijnierse, Rosaline van den Berg, Desiree van der Heijde, Floris A. van Gaalen
Summary: The objective of this study was to assess the construct validity of the CT Syndesmophyte Score (CTSS) for measuring structural spinal damage in patients with radiographic axial spondyloarthritis. The study compared the scores of CTSS and modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spinal Score (mSASSS) in detecting syndesmophytes and their correlation with spinal mobility. The results demonstrated good agreement between CTSS and mSASSS in detecting syndesmophytes, and higher correlation of CTSS with spinal mobility measures.
Article
Rheumatology
Mary Lucy Marques, Nuno Pereira da Silva, Desiree van der Heijde, Rosalinde Stal, Xenofon Baraliakos, Juergen Braun, Monique Reijnierse, Caroline Bastiaenen, Sofia Ramiro, Floris A. van Gaalen
Summary: The study investigated the association between inflammation and lower trabecular bone density (TBD) in radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (r-axSpA), and whether a lower TBD increases the likelihood of 2-year bone formation at the same vertebra. The study found that inflammation was associated with lower TBD, but lower TBD itself did not increase the risk of new bone formation at the same vertebra.
Letter
Rheumatology
Valeriia Melokhina, Nina Paulshus Sundlisaeter, Joseph Sexton, Ulf Sundin, Anna-Birgitte Aga, Kaja E. Kjorholt, Lena Bugge Nordberg, Desiree van der Heijde, Espen Haavardsholm, Siri Lillegraven
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)