Preliminary study of high frequency ultrasound screening for hyperuricemia in patients with joint disease / 中华风湿病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the value of high frequency ultrasonography for the early diagnosis of hyperuricemia in patients with joint disease.Methods Ninety-eight patients with hyperuricemia and 100 healthy persons,according to with or without history of acute gout attack,were divided into symptomatic group,asymptomatic group and control group,whose first metatarsophalangeal joint,ankle and knee were examined by high frequency ultrasonography.Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis.Results ① The joint lesions detection rate in the symptomatic group,asymptomatic group and the control group was 57％ (13/23),16％ (12/75),0 (0/100) respectively.There was statistical significant difference between the symptomatic group and the asymptomatic group (x2=9.69,P＜0.05).② The symptomatic group had 29 joint involvement (29/138),including 25 at the first metatarsophalangeal joint,3 at the ankle and one at the knee joint.The asymptomatic group had 14 joints involved (14/450),which were all located at the first metatarsophalangeal joint.③ The sonographic appearance of the two groups of arthropathy were synovial thickening,effusion,crystal deposition andbone erosion.The symptoms group presented as tophi,and increased synovial blood flow.Conclusion Patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia may have joint diseases.The joint disease detection rate of the symptomatic group is higher than that of the asymptomatic group.High frequency ultrasonography can be used a conventional imaging method for the screening of patients with hyperuricemia joint disease.The focus of the screening of asymptomatic patients is the first metatarsophalangeal joint.The focus of the screening of symptomatic patients is the first metatarsophalangeal joint and the joints that were attacked in the past history.