No overall progression and occasional repair of erosions despite persistent inflammation in adalimumab-treated rheumatoid arthritis patients: results from a longitudinal comparative MRI, ultrasonography, CT and radiography study

Aim To monitor joint inflammation and destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients receiving adalimumab/methotrexate combination therapy using MRI and ultrasonography. To assess the predictive value of MRI and ultrasonography for erosive progression on CT and compare MRI/ultrasonography/radiography for erosion detection/monitoring. Methods Fifty-two erosive biological-naive RA patients were followed with repeated MRI/ultrasonography/radiography (0/6/12 months) and clinical/biochemical assessments during adalimumab/methotrexate combination therapy. Results No overall erosion progression or repair was observed at 6 or 12 months (Wilcoxon; p>0.05), but erosion progressors and regressors were observed using the smallest detectable change cut-off. Scores of MRI synovitis, grey-scale synovitis (GSS) and power Doppler ultrasonography decreased after 6 and 12 months (p