Weighting with the Lansbury articular index improves the correlation of ultrasound score with serum matrix metalloproteinase-3 level in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether weighting improves the correlation of ultrasound (US) score with serum matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) level in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).


METHODS
As ultrasound examination was performed on 100 RA patients, and the severity of synovial effusion and synovial hypertrophy and the blood flow were semi-quantitatively graded from 0 to 3 by using the gray-scale (GS) and power Doppler (PD) modes. We then calculated the sums of the scores of the 28 joints of each patient in the 2 modes, that is, the GS28 and PD28 scores, as well as the respective scores weighted using the Lansbury articular index (LAI, shoulder and elbow, × 12; wrist, × 8; and knee, × 24)-Lans GS28 and Lans PD28 scores.


RESULT
The Lans PD28 score showed a higher correlation with MMP-3 (r = 0.591; 95% confidence interval, 0.446-0.705, p < 0.0001) than the existing measures. The scores of the large joints-the knee, shoulder, and elbow-correlated well with the serum MMP-3 level.


CONCLUSION
Weighting with the LAI can improve the correlation of US findings with serum MMP-3 level. Bidirectional approach based on both serum MMP-3 level and US scores can further improve the assessment of disease activity in RA patients.
['Gorai|Misa|M|', 'Ogasawara|Michihiro|M|', 'Matsuki|Yuko|Y|', 'Yamada|Yusuke|Y|', 'Murayama|Go|G|', 'Sugisaki|Nagachika|N|', 'Nemoto|Takuya|T|', 'Ando|Seiichiro|S|', 'Minowa|Kentaro|K|', 'Kon|Takayuki|T|', 'Tada|Kurisu|K|', 'Matsushita|Masakazu|M|', 'Yamaji|Ken|K|', 'Tamura|Naoto|N|', 'Takasaki|Yoshinari|Y|']
D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid D015415:Biomarkers D005260:Female D006801:Humans D007596:Joints D008297:Male D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 D008875:Middle Aged D012720:Severity of Illness Index D013583:Synovial Membrane D014463:Ultrasonography D055815:Young Adult
Lansbury articular index Ultrasound Matrix metalloproteinase-3 Rheumatoid arthritis