Jaccoud's arthropathy in systemic lupus erythematosus: clinical, laboratory and ultrasonographic features

Objective. Jaccoud’s arthropathy (JA) is a deforming, non-erosive arthri- tis, occurring in 2–35% of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. We aimed to evaluate JA patients in a wide monocentric SLE cohort in terms of clinical, serological and ultrasono- graphic features. Methods. Consecutive SLE patients (ACR criteria 1997) were evaluated. The JA index was applied for patients with reducible deformities. Patients with a JA index ≥5 underwent physi - cal examination, blood testing and ul- trasound (US) assessment. Detection of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) and rheumatoid factor (RF) was performed. A single rheumatologist performed the US assessment of bilat - eral wrist and hands . Results. Four hundred and eighty SLE patients were evaluated: 17 (3.5%) showed a JA index ≥5 (M:F 1:16; mean age±SD 50.7±11.1 years; mean disease duration±SD 247.8±116.2 months). Four patients (23.5%) showed ACPA positivity. Fifteen patients (88.2%) showed at least one US abnormality. Bone erosions were found in 10 patients (58.8%). ACPA+ve patients showed erosive damage more frequently in at least one joint compared with ACPA-ve