Assessing joint destruction in the knees of patients with rheumatoid arthritis by using a semi-automated software for magnetic resonance imaging: therapeutic effect of methotrexate plus etanercept compared with methotrexate monotherapy. Issue 2 (4th March 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Oka, Hiroyuki; Kadono, Yuho; Ohashi, Satoru; Yasui, Tetsuro; Ono, Kumiko; Matsudaira, Ko; Nishino, Jinju; Tanaka, Sakae
• Is Part Of: Modern rheumatology. Volume 28:Issue 2(2018)
• Page Start: 235
• Page End: 241
• Publication Date: 2018-03-04
• Subjects: Cartilage -- etanercept -- magnetic resonance imaging -- methotrexate -- rheumatoid arthritis; Rheumatology -- Periodicals; 616.723005
• DOI: 10.1080/14397595.2017.1350255
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1439-7595

Abstract

Abstract: Objectives: To evaluate the prevention of knee joint destruction and clinical efficacy of methotrexate (MTX) plus etanercept (ETN) compared with MTX monotherapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by using semi-automated software for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan analysis. Materials and methods: This study enrolled patients with active moderate-to-severe RA who displayed an inadequate response to oral MTX at screening. Patients were assigned to receive either MTX plus ETN or MTX monotherapy (≥10 mg/week). The primary endpoint was the quantitative knee cartilage volume using our software developed for MRI scan analysis. Results: A total of 18 female patients were enrolled in this study and allocated to the MTX + ETN group ( n = 9) or the MTX monotherapy group ( n = 9). At 52 weeks, the quantitative knee cartilage volume was significantly reduced compared with baseline in both groups (MTX plus ETN group: 2.3 ± 2.3 cm 3 ; MTX monotherapy group: 2.4 ± 1.6 cm 3 ); however, the difference was not significant. Conclusion: The semi-automated software for MRI scan analysis can reveal useful and potentially clinically important information about the characteristics of knee joint destruction in patients with RA.