This thesis describes research done in the field of hand osteoarthritis, and had the following three aims:1) To evaluate the current state of treatment options in hand osteoarthritis;2) To... Show moreThis thesis describes research done in the field of hand osteoarthritis, and had the following three aims:1) To evaluate the current state of treatment options in hand osteoarthritis;2) To investigate the role of inflammation as a treatment target in hand osteoarthritis; and3) To facilitate development of new treatment options by improving outcome measurement in hand osteoarthritis. Show less
Studies in this thesis focused on the use of MRI in patients with early inflammatory arthritis. Studies were focused on: the diagnostic value of MRI, predictive value of MRI findings for the... Show moreStudies in this thesis focused on the use of MRI in patients with early inflammatory arthritis. Studies were focused on: the diagnostic value of MRI, predictive value of MRI findings for the development of erosions, associations between age and MRI findings, the use of MRI for the development of new disease activity scores and patient reported outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Show less
Spondyloarthritis comprises a heterogeneous group of distinct disorders including ankylosing spondylitis, non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, arthritis related to... Show moreSpondyloarthritis comprises a heterogeneous group of distinct disorders including ankylosing spondylitis, non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, arthritis related to inflammatory bowel disease and reactive arthritis. Spondyloarthritis is the second most prevalent form of chronic inflammatory arthritis, with an estimated prevalence of about 0.5-1.5%. The studies presented in this thesis cover many aspects related to Spondyloarthritis in Colombia. The following topics were addressed. First, the analyses and performance of the different classification criteria and the factors important in the decision of the rheumatologist to order an MRI or HLA-B27 test in the diagnostic work-up of spondyloarthritis in the context of the clinical rheumatology setting. Second, a better insight was obtained with regard to the presence of comorbidities and risk factors of patients with spondyloarthritis. This included also a case control study to evaluate the relationship between periodontitis and spondyloarthritis. Third, the translation and cross-cultural adaptation to Spanish of the ASAS-HI was performed. Adittionally, the implementation of the domains and instruments of the ASAS core set in clinical trials have been evaluated. Finally, we discuss the potential unmet needs in the field of rheumatology in Colombia and we propose a research agenda for the upcoming years. Show less
