Objective: To investigate the clinical predictors of erosive arthritis (EA) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other connective tissue diseases.
Methods: Four hundred and one consecutive patients with newly diagnosed RA between January 2010 and January 2013 were enrolled in the study. During the study period, 729 consecutive patients with non-RA connective tissue diseases were also included, and a cross-sectional study was performed. Medical records were reviewed. Only those patients with data for 2 years were considered in the analysis (338).
Results: Erosive arthritis was noted in 60.4% (204 /338) of patients with RA and occurred early in RA. The multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that rheumatoid nodules, anemia, and positive anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (ACPA) were strongly associated factors for the occurrence of EA in RA patients. Erosive arthritis was also noted in 1.5% of patients with SLE, 5.8% of patients with primary Sjögren syndrome, and 9.1% (3/33) of patients with systemic sclerosis. When compared with patients without EA, high level and prominently higher positive rate of ACPA was found in these patients with EA. On receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, ACPA exhibited a maximum sensitivity with a cutoff value of 1.6 U/mL and 0.6 U/mL for RA and SLE patients, respectively.
Conclusion: Erosive arthritis had a high prevalence in Chinese RA patients and occurred early. Anemia, rheumatoid nodules, and ACPA were associated with EA in RA. Erosive arthritis also could be detected in SLE, primary Sjögren syndrome, and systemic sclerosis. Anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies were also associated with EA in these diseases. Intensive monitoring for erosions was recommended for RA patients with a cutoff of ACPA greater than 1.6 U/mL and greater than 0.6 U/mL for SLE patients.