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Higher rates of ultrasound synovial hypertrophy, bone erosion and power doppler signal in asymptomatic Brazilian elderly versus young adults: a cross-sectional study

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Abstract

To evaluate the prevalence of musculoskeletal ultrasonography (MSUS) abnormalities in asymptomatic elderly individuals. A cross-sectional controlled study was conducted and MSUS of 23 joints (wrist, metacarpophalangeal-MCP, proximal interphalangeal-PIP, elbow, glenohumeral, hip, knee, ankle, and metatarsophalangeal-MTP joints) was performed in healthy individuals aged 18–29 (young, n = 32) and 60–80 years-old (elderly, n = 32). Quantitative synovial hypertrophy (SH) was measured in mm and a semiquantitative scoring system (0–3) was used to grade SH, power doppler (PD) and bone erosion (BE). Young and elderly participants were 26.2 ± 3.2 and 65.9 ± 4.4 years-old, respectively. As compared to the young participants, elderly individuals had higher SH values in 35% of the joint surfaces (P < 0.05), higher rates of scores 1–3 for SH at the dorsal surface of the 3rd MCP, palmar surface of the 2nd MCP, 2nd PIP, 3rd MCP and 3rd PIP and subtalar joints (17.2 vs. 1.6%, P = 0.002; 29.7 vs. 6.3%, P = 0.001; 12.5 vs. 1.6%, P = 0.016; 21.9 vs. 6.3%, P = 0.011; 21.9 vs. 7.8%, P = 0.025; and 24.2 vs. 6.3%, P = 0.005, respectively), BE at the radiocarpal, ulnocarpal, dorsal surface of the 2nd MCP and posterior area of the glenohumeral joints (10.9 vs. 1.6%, P = 0.028; 12.5 vs. 0%, P = 0.003; 9.4 vs. 0%, P = 0.012; and 29.7 vs. 10.9%, P = 0.008, respectively) and PD at the dorsal surface of the 2nd and 3rd MCP joints (9.4 vs. 0%; P = 0.012 and 7.8 vs. 0%; P = 0.023, respectively). BE scores ≥ 1 were more frequent in the elderly (P < 0.05) in 22 (88%) of the joint surfaces evaluated. MSUS abnormalities are more frequent in asymptomatic elderly individuals as compared to young subjects.

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Data availability

The data sets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rheumatology Division, Escola Paulista de Medicina/Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM/UNIFESP), Disciplina de Reumatologia, Rua Botucatu, 740–3º andar–Vila Clementino, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Alexandre Lima Matos, Jamil Natour, Charlles Heldan de Moura Castro, Flávia S. Machado & Rita Nely Vilar Furtado

  2. Radiology Departament, Escola Paulista de Medicina/Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM/UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil

    Rogerio Diniz Takahashi

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  1. Alexandre Lima Matos
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  2. Jamil Natour
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  3. Charlles Heldan de Moura Castro
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  4. Flávia S. Machado
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  5. Rogerio Diniz Takahashi
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  6. Rita Nely Vilar Furtado
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Contributions

All authors had substantial contribution to the acquisition and analysis of the data presented in this article. All authors revised and agreed on the final version of the work to be published. All authors take full responsibility regarding all aspects of this work. Any questions that may be raised in the future concerning the integrity or this article will be evaluated and properly investigated and resolved.

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Correspondence to Rita Nely Vilar Furtado.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Ethical approval

This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by the EPM/UNIFESP’s Ethics Committee (Protocol number 0992/2017; Certificate of Ethical Appreciation Number: 73701617.4.0000.5505).

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Matos, A.L., Natour, J., Heldan de Moura Castro, C. et al. Higher rates of ultrasound synovial hypertrophy, bone erosion and power doppler signal in asymptomatic Brazilian elderly versus young adults: a cross-sectional study. Rheumatol Int 43, 941–951 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-022-05212-2

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