Researchers of a study assessed the performance of the Epionics SPINE device (ES), an electronic device that measures spinal mobility, in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). The researchers examined 103 patients with axSpA and analyzed their conventional radiographs of the spine and sacroiliac joints (SIJs) using the ES. They also evaluated the patients’ function and mobility and investigated the correlation between radiographic damage and ES measurements. The results showed that the number of syndesmophytes in the spine correlated positively with BASMI scores and negatively with chest expansion. Ultimately, the study found that the ES scores and measurements correlated well with the presence and extent of radiographic damage in the spine and SIJs. Patients with radiographic-axSpA had more severe impairments in mobility and function compared to those with non-radiographic-axSpA.
Reference: Kiefer D, Braun J, Chatzistefanidi V, et al. Clinical Relevance of Axial Radiographic Damage in Axial Spondyloarthritis – Evaluation of Functional Consequences by an Objective Electronic Device [published online ahead of print, 2023 Apr 15]. J Rheumatol. 2023;jrheum.2022-1240. doi:10.3899/jrheum.2022-1240
Link: https://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2023/04/27/jrheum.2022-1240
