RESEARCH - Radiologic findings of the lumbar spine in patients with RA

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Journal of spinal disorders & techniques ISSN 1536-0652

2003, vol. 16, no1, pp. 38-43 [6 page(s) (article)] (48 ref.)

Radiologic findings of the lumbar spine in patients with rheumatoid

arthritis, and a review of pathologic mechanisms

Auteur(s) / Author(s)

KAWAGUCHI Yoshiharu (1) ; MATSUNO Hiroaki (1) ; KANAMORI Masahiko (1)

; ISHIHARA Hirokazu (1) ; OHMORI Kazuo (1) ; KIMURA Tomoatsu (1) ;

Affiliation(s) du ou des auteurs / Author(s) Affiliation(s)

(1) Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Toyama Medical and

Pharmaceutical University, Toyama, JAPON

Résumé / Abstract

We have analyzed the radiologic findings on the lumbar spine and the

clinical symptoms in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A total

of 106 patients who fulfilled the revised criteria of the American

Rheumatism Association were subjected. All of the patients were asked

to fill out a questionnaire about the existence of low back pain, leg

pain, and leg numbness. Radiologic features of the lumbar spine,

including scoliosis, spondylolisthesis, disc space narrowing, endplate

erosion, osteophyte, and osteoporosis, were checked. Radiographs of

the cervical spine were also taken. The clinical background of RA,

such as mutilating disease or not, was assessed. Forty-two patients

(40%) had the symptoms of low back pain. Abnormal radiologic findings

in lumbar spine were detected in 57%. The prevalence of clinical

symptoms tended to be higher in the patients with endplate erosion.

Forty-two percent of the patients had both lumbar and cervical

lesions. The prevalence of lumbar lesion was not high in the

mutilating type of RA, except for facet erosion and severe

osteoporosis. The patients with pulse steroid therapy revealed a

higher prevalence of vertebral fracture.

From these results, we concluded that lumbar lesions were frequently

observed in patients with RA. The possibility of lumbar lesions as

well as the lesions in the cervical spine and peripheral joints should

be examined in patients with RA.

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