Spondyloarthritis & psoriatic arthritis
The influence of age on the prevalence of inflammatory and structural MRI lesions in the sacroiliac joints of patients with and without axial spondyloarthritis
Authors' conclusion
The proportion of patients with MRI lesions was high in both axSpA and non-SpA patients. However, the prevalence of BME and erosions was significantly more frequent in patients with axSpA, was independent of age and also allowed for discrimination. FL occurred more frequently only in older age groups and were less reliable for discrimination vs non-SpA patients.
Study context
- Population
- Consecutive patients with chronic back pain diagnosed with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) or non-SpA undergoing sacroiliac joints (SIJ) MRI (STIR/T1)
- Participants
- 309 patients
- Exposure
- axSpA vs non-SpA
- axSpAn = 175
- non-SpAn = 134reference
- Outcome
- Influence of age on prevalence of inflammatory (BME) and structural (fat lesions, erosions, ankylosis) MRI lesions in SIJ quadrants
Methodological detailsconsecutive patients, two blinded readers
- Consecutive patients
- Two blinded readers
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Prevalence of SIJ MRI lesions by age
- SIJ quadrants (SIJ-Q) with BME and erosions significantly more frequent in axSpA vs non-SpA independent of age
- Fat lesions more frequent in axSpA vs non-SpA only in patients ≥50 years
- Proportion with ≥1 or ≥3 BME or chronic lesions (except fat lesions) increased with age in both groups and was constantly higher in axSpA vs non-SpA
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Factors associated with fat lesions (univariate)
- Only female sex significantly associated with more fat lesions
Original publication
The influence of age on the prevalence of inflammatory and structural MRI lesions in the sacroiliac joints of patients with and without axial spondyloarthritis. Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 9 September 2022. doi:10.
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