AB1072 ROLE OF ULTRASOUND IN DETECTION OF SHOULDER JOINT PATHOLOGIES IN ASYMPTOMATIC RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PATIENTS

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that results in progressive destruction of structural components of the joints1. It commonly affects the shoulder leading to pain, tenderness and decreased range of motion2. Increased shoulder pain has been found to correlate strongly with disease severity3, however there is little information available in the literature regarding shoulder pathologies in asymptomatic RA patients. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of pathologies in asymptomatic shoulders in rheumatoid arthritis patients and role of ultrasound to detect it. Methods: A cross-sectional study including two groups, first group included 36 RA patients, meeting the ACR/EULAR classification criteria for RA with no shoulder complaints. The second group included 36 healthy control subjects of similar age groups and sex, with no shoulder complaints. They were recruited from rheumatology outpatient clinic in Mansoura University Hospital. Only asymptomatic shoulders of both groups were examined clinically by inspection, palpation and special tests, then examined by ultrasound using Toshiba Xario 200 machine with 13 MHz superficial probe including biceps tendon, subscapularis tendon, supraspinatus tendon, subacromial subdeltoid (SASD) bursa, infraspinatus tendon, posterior glenohumeral joint for effusion or synovitis, acromioclavicular joint and humeral head for erosions. Findings of both groups were compared to each other. Results: Asymptomatic shoulders in RA patients showed significant number of pathologies in 72% of the examined patients in comparison with healthy subjects (17%). According to frequency, humeral erosions were detected in 12 patients (33%), acromioclavicular osteoarthritis in 8 patients (22%), biceps tenosynovitis, supraspinatus tendinopathy, glenohumeral effusion in 6 patients (17%), subscapularis tendinopathy in 4 patients (11.%), SASD bursitis in 2 patients (6%), Infraspinatus tendinopathy in 1 patient (3%). The healthy group showed less number of pathologies including supraspinatus tendinopathy 3 (8%), acromioclavicular osteoarthritis 2 (6%), humeral erosions 1 (3%). Conclusion: A significant high rate of different pathologies can be present in shoulders of RA patients despite negative history and normal physical examination. Ultrasound can be used for early detection and better management before irreversible joint destruction. References: [1]Weishaupt D, Schweitzer ME (2004) MR imaging of septic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis of the shoulder. Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am 12:111–124 [2]Varache S, Cornec D, Morvan J, et al. Diagnostic accuracy of acr/eular 2010 criteria for rheumatoid arthritis in a 2-year cohort. The Journal of rheumatology. 2011; 38(7): 1250-1257. [3]Van de Sande MA, De Groot JH, Rozing PM. Clinical implications of rotator cuff degeneration in the rheumatic shoulder. Arthritis care & research. 2008; 59(3): 317-324. Disclosure of Interests: None declared