Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (2)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Lehtinen, J. T.
Right arrow Articles by Kauppi, M. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Lehtinen, J. T.
Right arrow Articles by Kauppi, M. J.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Rheumatology 1999; 38: 1104-1107
© 1999 British Society for Rheumatology

Radiographic joint space in rheumatoid acromioclavicular joints: a 15 year prospective follow-up study in 74 patients

J. T. Lehtinen, M. U. K. Lehto1, K. Kaarela1, H. J. Kautiainen1, E. A. Belt1 and M. J. Kauppi1

Department of Surgery, Tampere University Hospital and
1 Rheumatism Foundation Hospital, Heinola, Finland

Correspondence to: M. U. K. Lehto, Rheumatism Foundation Hospital, Department of Orthopaedics, FIN-18120 Heinola, Finland.

Objective. To evaluate radiographically the acromioclavicular joint space in patients with long-term rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods. A cohort of 74 patients with RA was followed prospectively for 15 yr. At the end point, 148 shoulders were radiographed with a standard method. The acromioclavicular (AC) joint space was examined from the radiographs with a method developed previously for population studies; the joint space was measured at its superior and inferior border, and the average of the two measurements, the integral space, calculated.

Results. Mean AC joint space in RA patients was 4.9 (S.D. 3.7), range 0–20.5 mm; 6.2 mm (S.D. 5.1) in men and 4.5 mm (S.D. 3.0) in women. An AC joint space wider than 7 mm in men was found in 11 (31%) out of 36 joints and wider than 6 mm in women in 17 (15%) out of 112 joints. Joint space widening was associated (r=0.87, 95% CI 0.82–0.90) with increasing destruction (Larsen grading) of the joint and it seems to be an inevitable consequence of AC joint affection in RA. Joint space widening is more progressive on the caudal side because of the nature of the erosive destruction. Degeneration with joint space narrowing was observed in 8 (11%) patients (11 joints, 7%; three bilateral).

Conclusions. The largest value of the joint space may be used when evaluating rheumatoid AC joint space. In RA patients, a joint space of >7 mm in men and >5 mm in women is a sign of destructive AC joint affection.

KEY WORDS: Rheumatoid arthritis, Acromioclavicular joint, Joint space, Radiography, Larsen method


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.