Affiliations: [a] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dicle University Medical School, Diyarbakır, Turkey | [b] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Karadeniz Technical University Medical School, Trabzon, Turkey | [c] Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: İbrahim Batmaz, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dicle University Medical School, Diyarbakır, Turkey. Tel.: +412 248 80 01 4792; Fax: +412 248 85 23; E-mail:ibrahimbatmaz82@hotmail.com
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a common form of arthritis
that may vary from asymmetric oligoarthritis to symmetric polyarthritis and
spondyloarthritis. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate femoral cartilage thickness using
ultrasonography in patients with PsA. METHODS: Thirty-three patients (24 female, 9 male) with a
diagnosis of PsA and 31 age-, sex- and body mass index-similar healthy
subjects were enrolled in this study. Demographic and clinical
characteristics of the patients were recorded, including disease duration,
morning stiffness and medications. The femoral cartilage thicknesses of both
knees (while held in maximum flexion) were measured with a 7-12 MHz linear
probe. Three mid-point measurements were taken from both knees (at the
lateral condyle, intercondylar area and medial condyle). RESULTS: Cartilage thicknesses were similar between PsA patients
and healthy control subjects. However, there were significant correlations
between cartilage thickness and the Maastricht Ankylosing Spondylitis
Enthesitis Score, Bath AS functional index and Bath AS disease activity
index scores. CONCLUSION: Femoral cartilage thickness is similar between PsA
patients and healthy controls. The femoral cartilage thickness in PsA
patients is associated with disease activity, functional inadequacy, and
enthesopathy scores.
