Objective To evaluate new classifi cation criteria for peripheral spondyloarthritis (SpA) in patients with SpA with peripheral manifestations only. Methods In this Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS) study, two prespecifi ed sets of criteria were compared against the European Spondylarthropathy Study Group (ESSG) and Amor criteria in newly referred consecutive patients with undiagnosed peripheral arthritis, and/or enthesitis, and/ or dactylitis that usually began before 45 years of age. The clinical diagnosis (SpA vs no SpA) made by the ASAS rheumatologist served as reference standard. Results In all, 24 ASAS centres included 266 patients, with a fi nal diagnosis of SpA being made in 66.2%. After adjustments a fi nal set of criteria showed the best balance between sensitivity (77.8%) and specifi city (82.9%): arthritis and/or enthesitis and/or dactylitis plus (A) one or more of the following parameters: psoriasis, infl ammatory bowel disease, preceding infection, human leucocyte antigen B27, uveitis, sacroiliitis on imaging, or (B) two or more other parameters: arthritis, enthesitis, dactylitis, infl ammatory back pain in the past, family history of SpA. The new criteria performed better than modifi ed versions of the ESSG (sensitivity 62.5%, specifi city 81.1%) and the Amor criteria (sensitivity 39.8%, specifi city 97.8%), particularly regarding sensitivity. In the entire ASAS population of 975 patients the combined use of ASAS criteria for axial SpA and ASAS criteria for peripheral SpA also had a better balance (sensitivity 79.5%, specifi city 83.3%) than the modifi ed ESSG (sensitivity 79.1%, specifi city 68.8%) and Amor criteria (sensitivity 67.5%, specifi city 86.7%), respectively. Conclusions The new ASAS classifi cation criteria for peripheral SpA performed well in patients presenting with peripheral arthritis, enthesitis and/or dactylitis.

Objective. To compare the benefits of initiating treatment with methotrexate (MTX) and infliximab (anti-tumor necrosis factor ␣ [anti-TNF␣] monoclonalantibody) with those of MTX treatment alone in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of <3 years' duration.Methods. RA patients were eligible if they had active disease and no prior treatment with MTX or a TNF␣ inhibitor. One thousand forty-nine patients were randomly assigned in a 4:5:5 ratio to 3 treatment groups: MTX-placebo, MTX-3 mg/kg infliximab, and MTX-6 mg/kg infliximab. MTX dosages were rapidly escalated to 20 mg/week, and infliximab or placebo infusions were given at weeks 0, 2, and 6, and every 8 weeks thereafter through week 46.Results. At week 54, the median percentage of American College of Rheumatology improvement (ACR-N) was higher for the MTX-3 mg/kg infliximab and MTX-6 mg/kg infliximab groups than for the MTX-placebo group (38.9% and 46.7% versus 26.4%, respectively; P < 0.001 for both comparisons). Patients in the MTX-3 mg/kg infliximab and MTX-6 mg/kg infliximab groups also showed less radiographic progression than those receiving MTX alone (mean ؎ SD changes in van der Heijde modification of the total Sharp score at week 54: 0.4 ؎ 5.8 and 0.5 ؎ 5.6 versus 3.7 ؎ 9.6, respectively; P < 0.001 for each comparison). In addition, physical function improved significantly more in the MTX-3 mg/kg infliximab and MTX-6 mg/kg infliximab groups than in the MTX-placebo group. Infliximab therapy was associated with a significantly higher incidence of serious infections, especially pneumonia.Conclusion. For patients with active RA in its early stages, combination therapy with MTX and infliximab provides greater clinical, radiographic, and functional benefits than treatment with MTX alone.

Objective. The Combinatietherapie Bij Reumatoide Artritis (COBRA) trial demonstrated that stepdown combination therapy with prednisolone, methotrexate, and sulfasalazine (SSZ) was superior to SSZ monotherapy for suppressing disease activity and radiologic progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The current study was conducted to investigate whether the benefits of COBRA therapy were sustained over time, and to determine which baseline factors could predict outcome.Methods. All patients had participated in the 56-week COBRA trial. During followup, they were seen by their own rheumatologists and were also assessed regularly by study nurses; no treatment protocol was specified. Disease activity, radiologic damage, and functional ability were the primary outcome domains. Two independent assessors scored radiographs in sequence according to the Sharp/van der Heijde method. Outcomes were analyzed by generalized estimating equations on the basis of intent-to-treat, starting with data obtained at the last visit of the COBRA trial (56 weeks after baseline).Results. At the beginning of followup, patients in the COBRA group had a significantly lower mean time-averaged 28-joint disease activity score (DAS28) and a significantly lower median radiologic damage (Sharp) score compared with those in the SSZ monotherapy group. The functional ability score (Health Assessment Questionnaire [HAQ]) was similar in both groups. During the 4-5 year followup period, the timeaveraged DAS28 decreased 0.17 points per year in the SSZ group and 0.07 in the COBRA group. The Sharp progression rate was 8.6 points per year in the SSZ group and 5.6 in the COBRA group. After adjustment for differences in treatment and disease activity during followup, the between-group difference in the rate of radiologic progression was 3.7 points per year. The HAQ score did not change significantly over time. Independent baseline predictors of radiologic progression over time (apart from treatment allocation) were rheumatoid factor positivity, Sharp score, and DAS28.Conclusion. An initial 6-month cycle of intensive combination treatment that includes high-dose corticosteroids results in sustained suppression of the rate of radiologic progression in patients with early RA, independent of subsequent antirheumatic therapy.Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, potentially disabling disease characterized by inflammation of the joints, periarticular bone resorption and cartilage

Objective. To identify disease characteristics leading to progression of joint damage in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with methotrexate (MTX) versus those treated with infliximab plus MTX.Methods. Patients who had not previously been treated with MTX with active RA were randomly assigned to receive escalating doses of MTX up to 20 mg/week plus placebo or infliximab at weeks 0, 2, and 6, and every 8 weeks thereafter through week 46. Radiographic joint damage was assessed using the modified Sharp/van der Heijde score (SHS). The relationship between disease activity measures at baseline and week 14, as well as those averaged over time, were examined in relation to the change in SHS from baseline through week 54.Results. C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and swollen joint count were associated with greater joint damage progression in the MTX-only group, while none of these parameters was associated with progression in the infliximab plus MTX group. Mean changes in SHS among patients in the highest CRP (>3 mg/dl) and ESR (>52 mm/hour) tertiles in the MTX-only group were 5.62 and 5.89, respectively, compared with 0.73 and 1.12 in the infliximab plus MTX group (P < 0.001). Patients with greater joint damage at baseline (SHS >10.5) showed less progression with infliximab plus MTX compared with MTX alone (؊0.39 versus 4.11; P < 0.001). Patients receiving MTX alone who had persistently active disease at week 14 showed greater radiographic progression of joint damage than those taking MTX plus infliximab.Conclusion. High CRP level, high ESR, or persistent disease activity was associated with greater radiographic progression in the group taking MTX alone, while little radiographic progression was seen in patients receiv-

With methotrexate, joint damage progresses even at low and moderate disease activity levels, whereas methotrexate plus infliximab inhibits radiographic progression across all disease activity states.

This consensus statement gives clear descriptions of disease-related spinal lesions and of definitions of a positive spinal MRI for inflammatory lesions (spondylitis) and structural changes (fat deposition). These definitions can be used to describe findings of spinal MRI in patients with SpA in daily practice and clinical studies.

There is no agreement

Objective. Radiologic progression in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is considered the consequence of persistent inflammatory activity. To determine whether a change in disease activity is related to a change in radiologic progression in individual patients, we investigated the longitudinal relationship between inflammatory disease activity and subsequent radiologic progression.Methods. The databases of the University Medical Center Nijmegen (UMCN) cohort and the Maastricht Combination Therapy in RA (COBRA) followup study cohort were analyzed. The UMCN cohort included 185 patients with early RA who were followed up for up to 9 years. Patients were assessed every 3 months for disease activity and every 3 years for radiologic damage. The COBRA cohort included 152 patients with early RA who were followed up for up to 6 years. Patients were assessed at least every year for disease activity and every 12 months for radiologic damage. Disease activity was assessed with the Disease Activity Score (DAS) (original DAS in the UMCN cohort, DAS28 in the COBRA cohort). Conclusion. Radiologic progression is not linear in individual patients. Fluctuations in disease activity are directly related to changes in radiologic progression, which supports the hypothesis that disease activity