The Relation Between Dedicated Extremity MRI Synovitis and Structural Deterioration Radiographic in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis in Clinical Remission. Preliminary Study

The Relation Between Dedicated Extremity MRI Synovitis and Structural Deterioration Radiographic in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis in Clinical Remission.Preliminary Study

The major aim of treatment for rheumatoid arthritis is remission. Nevertheless, structural radiographic progression is observed in 15 to 20% of patient getting remission. Numerous definitions of the remission proposed by literature remain imperfect.

Recently ultrasonography and MRI seem to be helpful in diagnosis and follow-up of rheumatoid arthritis.

Studies in patients with clinical remission are reporting 75 to 90% of persistent MRI and ultrasonography synovitis, 45% of cases with synovial activity.

To our knowledge, in such case few studies showed correlation between persistent imaging synovitis and structural radiographic progression.

On the other hand, no studies with extremity dedicated RMI in patients with remission are reported.

In this preliminary study, the investigators propose to evaluate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis remission and persistent dedicated MRI synovitis the structural radiographic progression at one year.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Earlier rheumatoid arthritis (<1 year)
• Clinical remission (DAS 28 <2,6 ou SDAI <5) since 6 months before the inclusion
• Unchanged DMARds and /or biologic therapy since 6 months before the inclusion
• Unchanged corticosteroid (5 mg/day) since 3 months before the inclusion in patients treated with this therapy
• No contre-indication to the MRI

Exclusion Criteria:

• Contra-indication to MRI
• Pregnant or breast-feeding women