Sonography of the First Metatarsophalangeal Joint and Sonographically Guided Intraarticular Injection of Corticosteroid in Acute Gout Attack
A recent study found that ultrasound is a sensitive tool for evaluating abnormalities in the first metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ1) in patients experiencing an acute gout attack and that an ultrasound-guided intraarticular corticosteroid injection in this joint is a safe and effective treatment method. The study involved 21 patients who underwent an ultrasound to evaluate the MTPJ1. The characteristic findings of those ultrasounds were then compared with features seen in conventional radiographs. In addition, all patients received an ultrasound-guided intraarticular corticosteroid injection in the affected MTPJ1. The study found that ultrasound was better capable of detecting erosion and tophus-like lesions compared to conventional radiographs. In addition, the study found that the injections brought down visual analog scale scores for pain, general disability and walking disability by an average of 48 mm, 35 mm and 39 mm, respectively, after two days. None of the patients experienced adverse events as a result of the injections.
From the article of the same title
Journal of Clinical Ultrasound (07/09/2014) Kang, Myung Ho; Moon, Ki Won; Jeon, Yong Hwan; et al.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jcu.22206/abstract