Ankle and foot pathologies in early rheumatoid arthritis, what can ultrasound tell us?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune polyarticular disease. Despite being commonly affected in RA, the ankle and foot do not receive much attention, particularly in early disease. The precise diagnosis of their involvement and its impact on health is a clinical challenge that requires accurate assessment.

To determine the role of ultrasound in evaluation of ankle and foot pathologies and assess its impact on functional activity in newly diagnosed RA patients.

The study was conducted on 152 RA patients and 52 healthy controls. Patients were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, and ultrasound scan. Impact on health was measured by health assessment questionnaire, as well as foot function index.

In a cohort of patients with early RA with median duration of 1 month, tibialis posterior (TP) tenosynovitis (45.4%) was the most common pathology, followed by tibiotalar (TTJ) synovitis (39.8%), and peroneal tenosynovitis (39.1%). In terms of disease duration, TTJ (P = .001) foot pathologies were less common in early RA and tended to worsen over time, whereas TP (P = .048) and peroneal tenosynovitis (P = .011) were more common in early RA. In multivariate analysis TTJ, subtalar synovitis, forefoot pathologies, TP tenosynovitis, and Achilles enthesitis were found to be significant predictors of functional disability. The most important predictors of ankle pain were TTJ synovitis, TP tenosynovitis, peroneal tenosynovitis, and plantar fasciitis.

Ankle and foot involvement is a common issue of early RA, and it has a significant impact on quality of life. Ultrasound is a reliable tool for evaluating various abnormalities in this complex area, allowing for better management.