Improvement of large-joint ultrasonographic synovitis is delayed in patients with newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis: results of a 12-month clinical and ultrasonographic follow-up study of a local cohort

We analyzed the longitudinal changes in gray-scale ultrasonography (GSUS) and power Doppler ultrasonography (PDUS) parameters and correlated them with clinical, functional, and radiologic outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA). GSUS and PDUS examinations, 44-joint disease activity score (DAS44) calculations, measurements of erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein levels were performed in 68 RA patients at baseline and after 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Metacarpophalangeal joints, wrist, elbow, knee, ankle, metatarsophalangeal joints, and wrist and ankle tendons were examined by GSUS and PDUS. The laboratory and clinical findings began to decrease significantly at 1 month ( P