MRI and serum biomarkers correlate with radiographic features in painful hand osteoarthritis

{Objective To explore the relationship between clinical findings, biologic biomarkers, conventional radiography and MRI in patients with painful hand OA. Methods The following patient baseline data from the DORA study (evaluating anti-TNF-alpha agents against painful hand OA) were used: clinical assessment (pain, swelling, stiffness and function: Dreiser functional hand index [FIHOA] and Cochin hand functional scale [CHFS]); measurement of biomarkers (cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), type IIA collagen N-propeptid (PIINP), hyaluronic acid (HA), ultrasensitive C-reactive protein (usCRP), tumour necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1 beta and urinary CTXII); radiological staging (Verbruggen, Kallman, Kellgren-Lawrence); anatomical evaluation by contrast-enhanced MRI of proximal and distal interphalangeal joints of dominant hand. Associations between clinical, biomarker and imaging findings were assessed using the Spearman correlation coefficient and test. Results 18 patients were recruited, and 144 joints studied. A correlation was found between clinical features (pain, FIHOA, CHFS) and the Verbruggen score (respectively: p=0.05