• Karen Bevers, Manon C Zweers, Joke E Vriezekolk, Johannes W J Bijlsma, and Alfons A den Broeder.
• Department of Rheumatology, Sint Maartenskliniek, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. k.bevers@maartenskliniek.nl.
• Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2014 Nov 1; 32 (6): 930-4.

ObjectivesTo investigate the predictive value of ultrasound (US) characteristics for the effect of intra-articular glucocorticoids in knee osteoarthritis (OA).MethodsIn this prospective cohort study, 62 patients with symptomatic knee OA (clinical knee OA criteria, pain>4 on a Numerical Rating Scale (NRS; 0-10)) received an intra-articular glucocorticoid injection (40 mg triamcinolone acetonide). Patients with NRS pain ≤4 at 4 weeks were defined as responders. On inclusion, demographics, clinical data (body mass index, local swelling) knee x-rays and knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) questionnaire were collected. Six US features were assessed including: effusion, synovial hypertrophy, Baker's cyst, infrapatellar bursitis, meniscal protrusion and cartilage thickness. Stepwise multiple logistic regression analyses with forward selection were conducted to identify possible predictors.ResultsAt 4 weeks, 42% of the study participants reached a NRS ≤4; an effect comparable to existing literature. Regression analyses showed that patients who used analgesics at baseline were less likely to have a good response. The small proportion of patients with infrapatellar bursitis was more likely to respond to the injection.ConclusionsNo patient, disease or US characteristic of inflammation, turned out to be a reliable and clinically meaningful predictor for the effect of intra-articular glucocorticoids after four weeks in knee OA.

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