Mean MRI SI joint and spine scores for fatty lesions, erosions and ankylosis at baseline, week 24 and week 48 in patients with axial spondyloarthritis treated with etanercept (ETA) or sulfasalazine (SSZ)
| Location | MRI parameter | Study time point | ETA (n=35) | SSZ (n=30) | p Value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spine | Fatty lesion score (0–69) (mean (SD)) | Baseline† | 1.9 (5.0) | 1.1 (2.6) | |
| Week 24 | 2.6 (5.6) | 0.9 (2.1) | 0.033 | ||
| Week 48 | 2.7 (5.8) | 1.2 (2.7) | 0.020 | ||
| Erosion score (0–46) (mean (SD)) | Baseline† | 0.2 (0.4) | 0.3 (0.7) | ||
| Week 24 | 0.2 (0.4) | 0.3 (0.8) | 0.49 | ||
| Week 48 | 0.2 (0.5) | 0.3 (0.8) | 0.21 | ||
| Ankylosis score (0– 69) (mean (SD)) | Baseline† | 0.6 (2.4) | 0.3 (1.1) | ||
| Week 24 | 0.6 (2.3) | 0.2 (1.1) | 0.10 | ||
| Week 48 | 0.7 (2.5) | 0.3 (1.1) | 0.52 | ||
| SI joints | Fatty lesion score (0–8) (mean (SD)) | Baseline† | 4.0 (3.2) | 3.0 (2.8) | |
| Week 24 | 4.6 (3.4) | 3.2 (2.9) | 0.018 | ||
| Week 48 | 4.8 (3.2) | 3.2 (2.9) | 0.001 | ||
| Erosion score (0–6) (mean (SD)) | Baseline† | 3.9 (2.2) | 3.5 (2.0) | ||
| Week 24 | 3.8 (2.2) | 3.6 (2.1) | 0.060 | ||
| Week 48 | 3.8 (2.2) | 3.5 (2.2) | 0.41 | ||
| Ankylosis score (0–2) (mean (SD)) | Baseline† | 0.2 (0.6) | 0.1 (0.4) | ||
| Week 24 | 0.2 (0.6) | 0.1 (0.4) | 0.12 | ||
| Week 48 | 0.2 (0.6) | 0.1 (0.4) | 0.48 |
↵* p Values for comparison of changes in the MRI scores between both groups by analysis of covariance.
↵† No significant differences at baseline between ETA and SSZ: (a) spine: fatty lesions (p=0.65), erosions (p=1.0), ankylosis (p=0.35); (b) SI joints: fatty lesions (p=0.24), erosions (p=0.346), ankylosis (p=0.50).
SI joints, sacroiliac joints.