Alfuraih, AM orcid.org/0000-0002-4655-7248, Tan, AL orcid.org/0000-0002-9158-7243, O'Connor, P et al. (3 more authors) (2019) Reduction in stiffness of proximal leg muscles during the first 6 months of glucocorticoid therapy for giant cell arteritis: A pilot study using shear wave elastography. International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases, 22 (10). pp. 1891-1899. ISSN 1756-1841
Abstract
Aim: To investigate muscle stiffness changes in patients treated for giant cell arteritis (GCA) with high‐dose oral glucocorticoids.
Methods: Using ultrasound elastography, shear wave velocity (SWV) was measured in the quadriceps, hamstrings and biceps brachii muscles of 14 patients with GCA (4 male, mean age ± SD, 68.2 ± 4.3 years) within the first 2 weeks of initiating glucocorticoid treatment (baseline) and repeated after 3 and 6 months treatment. Muscle strength and performance tests were performed at each visit. Baseline measures were compared with those from 14 healthy controls. Linear mixed models were used to test for change in patient measures over time.
Results: At baseline, muscle SWV in patients was not significantly different from controls. With glucocorticoid treatment, there was a reduction in SWV in the leg but not the arm muscles. SWV decreased by a mean of 14% (range 8.3%‐17.3%; P = .001) after 3 months and 18% (range 10.2%‐25.3%; P < .001) after 6‐months in the quadriceps and hamstrings during the resting position. The baseline, 3 and 6 months mean SWV (±SD) for the vastus lateralis were 1.62 ± 0.16 m/s, 1.40 ± 0.10 m/s and 1.31 ± 0.06 m/s, respectively (P < .001). In the patient group as a whole, there was no significant change in muscle strength. However, there were moderate correlations (r = .54‐.69) between exhibiting weaker muscle strength at follow‐up visits and a greater reduction in SWV.
Conclusion: Glucocorticoid therapy in patients with GCA was associated with a significant reduction in proximal leg muscle stiffness during the first 6 months. Future research should study a larger sample of patients for a longer duration to investigate if diminished muscle stiffness precedes signs of glucocorticoid‐induced myopathy.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2019 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd. This is the post-peer reviewed version of the following article: Alfuraih, AM, Tan, AL, O’Connor, P, Emery, P, Mackie, S, Wakefield, RJ. Reduction in stiffness of proximal leg muscles during the first 6 months of glucocorticoid therapy for giant cell arteritis: A pilot study using shear wave elastography. Int J Rheum Dis. 2019; 22: 1891– 1899, which has been published in final form at: https://doi.org/10.1111/1756-185X.13667 This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. |
Keywords: | diagnostic imaging; elasticity imaging techniques; giant cell arteritis; glucocorticoids; muscles; muscular diseases |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Medicine (Leeds) > Institute of Rheumatology & Musculoskeletal Medicine (LIRMM) (Leeds) > Inflammatory Arthritis (Leeds) The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Medicine (Leeds) > Institute of Rheumatology & Musculoskeletal Medicine (LIRMM) (Leeds) > Musculoskeletal Medicine & Imaging (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 07 Aug 2019 09:12 |
Last Modified: | 30 Jul 2020 00:38 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Wiley |
Identification Number: | 10.1111/1756-185X.13667 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:149391 |