The following is a summary of “Diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease–Associated Peripheral Arthritis: A Systematic Review,” published in the June 2024 issue of Gastroenterology by Falloon et al.
Lacking clear definitions and diagnostic tools, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-associated peripheral spondyloarthritis (pSpA) remains a prevalent condition with significant negative impact on patients.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to summarize existing data and inform the development of improved diagnostics, patient-reported outcomes, and imaging tools for IBD-associated pSpA.
They performed a literature search, including consensus or classification criteria, case series, cross-sectional studies, cohort studies, and randomized controlled trials related to diagnosis.
The results showed 44 studies involving around 1,500 patients with pSpA. Data quality ranged from fair to good. Due to significant heterogeneity, meta-analysis was not feasible. Most studies used patient-reported outcomes and physical examinations. A total of 13 studies proposed or validated screening tools or classification criteria, and 28 studies examined the role of laboratory tests, but none were deemed accurate for diagnosis. Overall, 17 studies assessed imaging, with insufficient evidence to fully endorse any imaging method as a reliable diagnostic tool (RCTs).
Investigators concluded that limitations in existing data necessitate a multidisciplinary approach to standardize the evaluation and diagnosis of IBD-associated pSpA.
Source: academic.oup.com/ibdjournal/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/ibd/izae114/7688049
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