Ultrasound scans for inflammation 'can help measure progression' in hand osteoarthritis

Scanning for signs of inflammation could be a valuable tool in helping to assess the progression of structural damage in hand osteoarthritis, according to new research.

Conducted by researchers at Leiden University in the Netherlands, the study aimed to assess the development of inflammatory features and its relation to structural damage over a 2.3-year period in patients with hand osteoarthritis.

The team used ultrasonography techniques in 56 patients to measure synovial thickening and effusion, two forms of inflammation that affect the membranes found between joints, applying power Doppler sonography technology.

Radiographic progression of osteophytes (extra bone growth) and joint space narrowing was also measured, with the association between inflammatory ultrasound features and radiographic progression calculated, with consideration given to factors such as age, gender and body mass index.

Results published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases revealed that cases marked by persistent inflammatory features at baseline and follow-up showed stronger associations with radiographic progression than patients who saw fluctuating or no inflammatory trends.

According to the report, these findings potentially shed new light on the way this disease functions and develops.

The researchers concluded: "Inflammatory features, especially when persistently present, are independently associated with radiological progression in hand osteoarthritis after 2.3 years, indicating a role of inflammation in the aetiology of structural damage in hand osteoarthritis."

Hand osteoarthritis mainly affects women and often starts during the menopause years. It can lead to changes in the physical appearance of the hands, impairing their functionality in some cases.

Arthritis Research UK is currently funding a number of studies into osteoarthritis of the hand, including a clinical trial testing the effectiveness of the drug hydroxychloroquine, which is normally used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of inflammatory arthritis.